Liverpool have confirmed to the Football Association they will not contest the eight-match ban handed to Luis Suarez for racially abusing Patrice Evra.
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As a result Suarez's suspension begins with immediate effect meaning he will miss Liverpool's Tuesday night clash with Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
An independent commission found Suarez guilty of abusing Evra in Liverpool's game with Manchester United in October and the FA released the findings on New Year's Eve.
A statement on the FA's website read: "Liverpool FC have this afternoon [Tuesday 3 January 2012] informed the FA that they will not be appealing the decision of an Independent Regulatory Commission in relation to the recently proven misconduct charge against Luis Suarez.
"Suarez will be suspended with immediate effect for a period of eight matches, starting with this evening's fixture against Manchester City. Suarez was also fined £40,000 and was warned as to his future conduct."
In a statement on Liverpool's website, Suarez said: "First of all I would like to thank everyone so much for all the help and support I have received during these last few weeks.
"Thank you to my family, my friends and everybody at LFC (the staff, manager and coaching staff, the directors, my team mates and everyone who is working on a daily basis for this great club) and thank you especially to all the fans who made sure I never felt let down for one second. During those days I understood more than ever what 'You'll Never Walk Alone' means.
"Like many of you I was born into a very humble family, in a working class neighbourhood, in a small country. But I was born and raised learning what respect, manners and sacrifice mean. Thanks to my family, from my first club where I started playing, to my transfer to Holland in Europe, I learned the values which made me the person I am now. Never, I repeat, never, have I had any racial problem with a team mate or individual who was of a different race or colour to mine. Never.
"I am very upset by all the things which have been said during the last few weeks about me, all of them being very far from the truth. But above all, I'm very upset at feeling so powerless whilst being accused of something which I did not, nor would not, ever do.
"In my country, 'negro' is a word we use commonly, a word which doesn't show any lack of respect and is even less so a form of racist abuse. Based on this, everything which has been said so far is totally false.
"I will carry out the suspension with the resignation of someone who hasn't done anything wrong and who feels extremely upset by the events. I do feel sorry for the fans and for my team mates whom I will not be able to help during the next month. It will be a very difficult time for me.
"The only thing I wish for at the moment is being able to run out again at Anfield and to do what I like most which is playing football. Thank you very much. YNWA."