South African Player Jan-Hendrik Wessels Receives Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
The player will miss for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
This event took place in the 18th minute of the narrow victory in Galway on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a 20-minute red card after reacting angrily by hitting Wessels on the head.
After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the contact was examined by the TMO, who determined insufficient clear footage.
Wessels stayed on the field until he was replaced in the later stages of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was deemed to have violated the code of conduct, which specifies:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the principles of fair play. This includes touching, twisting or squeezing the genitals."
The panel determined that the incident reached the red card threshold and warranted a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under international rugby regulations for such an violation.
Nonetheless, the player's suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his good record.
Wessels and the Bulls are entitled to challenge the decision, but currently, the suspension will prevent the 24-year-old out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
Wessels will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Glasgow, the Lions and the Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup games with Bègles and Northampton.
Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer.
The Connacht player, in contrast, is eligible to face Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
