South African Forward Wessels Receives Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
The player will be unavailable for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
South Africa front-rower Wessels has received a ban of nine matches for grabbing Josh Murphy's private parts during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship victory over the Irish province.
This event happened in the 18th minute of the Bulls' 28-27 win against Connacht on Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by striking the South African on the head area.
After the Connacht player reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the situation was reviewed by the television match official, who determined insufficient clear footage.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the later stages of the game.
While the URC announced that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was rescinded by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached the code of conduct, which states:
"Any athlete should not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. This includes touching, twisting or squeezing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the event met the level for dismissal and warranted a 12-week suspension, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an violation.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
Wessels and the Pretoria-based team have the right to challenge the decision, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
He will also miss the Bulls' URC games against Warriors, the Emirates Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
The prop has won ten international appearances for South Africa and was part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to play against Munster in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being cleared.
