I assume that you're talking about the so-called "Battle of the Bridge" in April 2008. It is worth reading the FA judgment in full, rather than just fleecing it of two words. Take particular note:
The allegation of the racist remark is completely irrelevant to the charges against Mr Evra. He has never claimed to have heard any such remark. It follows that he claims no provocation by any racist remark or any justification for his actions as a result of any such remark.
Members of the Man U coaching staff levelled those accusations, while Evra undermined them. The suggestion that he has a history of unfounded charges of racist abuse on the basis of this incident isn't just a vile slander, it's patently absurd.
They said his account was "exaggerated and unreliable. it is an attempt to justify a physical intervention by him which cannot reasonably be justified." I talk about Evra as a whole, not specifically regarding 'playing the race card' as I do agree with you there.
And that last part is, quite frankly, absurd in itself. well, hypocritical at least. While I agree with the point, this case has been treated in a similar way. Evra and the FA both agree that Suarez is not a racist. So, therefore, do you believe it is 'vile slander' that the Daily Mail can get away with having a headline that just says Racist with a picture of Suarez? Do you believe Suarez is a racist? Would you agree he has had his reputation destroyed by this whole saga? Because I believe that not only is he a racist, but that he has done absolutely nothing wrong and been treated appallingly by the FA and the media. I would say in a xenophobic way, but thats opening another can of worms. They want their league to be the best in the world, and they treat cultural differences like this?
I seriously believe the actual issue of racism has been undermined by this whole affair. The way it has been treated by the powers-that-be as a way to score points is absolutely sickening.
I take the 2008 incident as good reason to think that Evra takes matters of racial abuse extremely seriously. He was facing a four-game ban (and what, for someone on his wages, was a small fine), members of his club's coaching staff were making allegations of racial abuse, and Evra still made no claim along those lines.
It's not hypocritical for me to sustain a defence of Evra on the facts of the matter without going in to bat for Suarez, because the facts substantially differ. Whereas the FA and Evra agree that Suarez is not a racist (and I tend to stand with them), the Mail's attack on the Liverpool man is defensible on the evidence. They Mail may very well say, "he has engaged in racial abuse, that is what we mean by racist", and my reply can only be, "I have something stronger in mind when I use that term."
Suarez's reputation as the Cannibal of Ajax has indeed been effaced by a more recent scandal, just as that took over from his Hand of God routine. Perhaps that is a problem for those with short memories, but I don't see anything in it.
(Now, if you want to start needling me with "what about Joey Barton?" - that is a softer spot. If Suarez makes a sincere effort to clean up his act and is still being attacked in the press, I will happily join his defenders.)