Luis Suarez’s four month ban from soccer has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). But the player has been permitted to train with his teammates and be involved with promotional activities at Barcelona.

“The sanctions imposed on the player by FIFA have been generally confirmed,” the CAS said in a statement.

But the court felt that Suarez ban on all football related activity was “excessive”, since it would have had an impact at the conclusion of his suspension.

The official statement reads: “The sanctions imposed on the player by FIFA have been generally confirmed. However, the 4-month suspension will apply to official matches only and no longer to other football-related activities (such as training, promotional activities and administrative matters).”

A full explanation of the CAS ruling will not be published until a later date.

Suarez is now free to train with Barcelona, be “presented” to supporters and participate in any charity functions with the Catalan club.

According to the ruling, the former-Liverpool striker will be eligible to play in Barcelona’s friendlies; the next being on Saturday August 18 versus Leon FC.

Suarez will continue to serve a nine-match international ban, but he will be allowed to attend matches and train with Uruguay.

The Uruguayan striker will miss Barcelona’s first eight league matches of the season, plus their first three group stage games of the Champions League.

Suarez will be eligible to play on October 26, which would be against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Last week, the Suarez and his legal team – which was made up of two lawyers from Barcelona, one from the Uruguay Football Federation and his personal lawyer – presented their case to have the striker’s four-month ban on all football-related activity reduced.

Suarez lawyers believed they could have the ban reduced, but today’s decision from the CAS will very much be considered a victory for the legal team.