In the highly partisan game of football, where decisions on and off the pitch, be they right or wrong, are queried by both sides, that was a conclusion that was never going to be universally accepted. And so it proved.

Liverpool's response was bullish and defensive as it has been from the very beginning of this issue back in October. They backed their player, even as the commission handed down an eight-match ban and £40,000 fine having found Suarez guilty of racial abuse.

But it has been this 115-page document that has caused the most controversy. The club and many of its fans see it as highly flawed, utterly subjective and containing little or no appreciation for the discrepancies in evidence given by Evra.

Relevant as that may be the fact Suarez admitted to using the word 'negro' - a term which is so obviously offensive in this country even if it isn't in his own - and neither he (until lately) nor the club saw reason to apologise is questionable to say the least.

So too is the handling of its submission of evidence, which had to be redrafted at one stage. This added confusion to an already complex case as well as discrediting Liverpool's and Suarez's argument.

Questionable too has been the approach of the FA and the three-man panel it appointed to deal with this matter.

A number of questions arise for them: How can an independent panel be independent of the association if it is appointed by it? Why were there differences in the way in which Evra submitted his evidence to the way Suarez submitted his? Why were there a plethora of leaks and spin to the media in the course of the lengthy investigation? And why wait until New Year's Eve of all days to release its final report?

Evra, as the victim in this case, emerges with little credit as well. The report details the French defender's unsavoury reference to Suarez's sister and his bizarre questioning of a matter as routine as a coin toss during the match. There are also a number of notable discrepancies in his initial reporting of the abuse he was subjected to by Suarez.

Amid all this, football in general has taken an almighty knock as it has also from the ongoing John Terry/Anton Ferdinand racism row.

While the FA can in some ways be praised for coming down hard on racial abuse as it has been judged to be, football fans remain utterly divided on an issue that we should all be united against.

One only has to look at the disgusting and vile racial abuse aimed at Evra by Twitter users, which former Reds striker Stan Collymore revealed last month, to see that the factionalism football creates can often go too far and really has done in this case.

Looking forward, the FA faces questions over how it deals with issues as sensitive as racism. It has earned praised but it has also been mooted that a truly independent arbitrary body be established to deal with disciplinary matters such as this, not just in football but in all sport. This is not an idea that should be dismissed.

Liverpool FC will be damaged by this for some time to come, as too will Suarez and Kenny Dalglish for his comments on the matter. All remain steadfast in their belief that the club and the player have been wronged when all others in society maintain this is not the case.

Only history can judge whether Liverpool's cause has been a righteous one. Right now, that looks highly unlikely.

A version of this article also appeared on JMU Journalism