Springbok Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Handed Nine-Match Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over Connacht.
This event occurred in the early stages of the close contest in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Josh Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head.
After Murphy complained to the match official, the contact was examined by the television match official, who determined no definitive proof.
Wessels stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was overturned by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which declares:
"A player must not engage in actions that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or compressing the genitals."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the event met the level for dismissal and justified a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under international rugby rules for such an violation.
However, Wessels' suspension was shortened by 21 days because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, Italy and the Irish team.
He will also miss the his club's URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning team over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
