South African Forward Wessels Handed Nine-Game Ban for Genital Grab
The player is ruled out for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa prop Wessels has received a ban of nine games for making contact with opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The altercation took place in the early stages of the narrow victory in Galway on last Friday, with opposing player Josh Murphy being shown a temporary dismissal after reacting angrily by striking Wessels on the head area.
After Murphy reported the incident to referee Mike Adamson, the contact was examined by the TMO, who concluded no conclusive video evidence.
Wessels remained on the pitch until he was replaced in the second half of the match.
Although the URC announced that Murphy's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a governing body, Wessels was found to have violated law 9.27, which declares:
"Any athlete must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, twisting or squeezing the private areas."
The panel concluded that the contact met the red card threshold and justified a three-month ban, the shortest suspension under World Rugby regulations for such an offence.
However, Wessels' suspension was reduced by 21 days because of his good conduct prior to and at the proceedings and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team are entitled to appeal, but currently, the ban will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's autumn Tests against the Brave Blossoms, France, Italy and Ireland.
He will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Emirates 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 part of their Rugby Championship-winning squad over the summer.
Murphy, in contrast, is eligible to play against Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being exonerated.
