  Complete fusion excitation functions for $^{9}$Be + $^{208}$Pb have been
measured to high precision at near barrier energies. The experimental fusion
barrier distribution extracted from these data allows reliable prediction of
the expected complete fusion cross-sections. However, the measured
cross-sections are only 68% of those predicted. The large cross-sections
observed for incomplete fusion products support the interpretation that this
suppression of fusion is caused by $^{9}$Be breaking up into charged fragments
before reaching the fusion barrier. Implications for the fusion of radioactive
nuclei are discussed.

Nuclear Experiment;Nuclear Theory