Is biting worse than head butting?

We all know Suarez may have bitten off more than he can chew this time and faces a lengthy ban of maybe 3 years or maybe more for his biting antics at the world cup this week...

Biting somebody sounds sick and violent and horrific and many people will say that a long ban and big punishment is deserved.

But is it really as bad as head butting someone or punching or elbowing in the face? Is it not just that biting sounds more barbaric that we hate it so much?

Players have had careers cut short by deliberate dangerous tackles. People have been knocked out by violent elbows thrown and players seem to be in punch ups every couple of weeks on match of the day and a red card is the usual punishment for violent conduct.

So why is biting so harshly viewed?

I would rather somebody bit me on the arm for a tenth of a second and left a mouth shaped bruise than snapped my leg in half with a dirty tackle or gave me a potentially lethal head butt.

I think fifa need to chew this over a bit longer...

I would rather get nutted than bitten by a human due to the fact you can catch all sorts of diseases such as HIV, hepatitis C etc.

A human bite is usually worse than a dog bite due to the bacteria in ones mouth etc.

I agree with Karly... also in Professional sport we have got to be better than the Beast.

I think the chance of getting a serious injury from a violent head-butt is far greater than the potential to catch a disease from what looked to be a pretty innocuous bite through his shirt.

If it was proven by science that a head-butt was likely to cause a worse injury than a bite you would change your mind? ie, is your decision really based on the pros and cons of the potential consequences or was your answer just a way of justifying your already formed opinion?

Completely agree with what Biggie is saying and been having the exact same debate with myself since it happened. It's like the "would you rather be spat at or be punched in the face" debate.

I bet most will say punched as if they think it makes them high and mighty because punching is manly, or to be punched is manly. Therefore spitting is worse because its "disgusting".

Personally i think someone spitting at me is insulting. But someone punching me in the face is ten times worse. I find it disgusting that somebody thinks its ok to make contact with my head with their fist.