South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
Springbok front-rower Wessels has been suspended of nine games for grabbing opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
The incident took place in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.
Following the Connacht player complained to the match official, the contact was examined by the TMO, who determined no definitive proof.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the match.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was overturned by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have violated the code of conduct, which declares:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes grabbing, pulling or compressing the private areas."
The panel were satisfied that the event met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under international rugby regulations for such an infringement.
However, Wessels' ban was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior during the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the suspension will rule the young player out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
He will also miss the his club's league matches against Warriors, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has earned ten international appearances for the Springboks and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.
