Rugby: Stade Francais scrumhalf Julien Dupuy was handed a six month ban at today's ERC disciplinary hearing in Dublin after being found guilty of gouging Ulster's Stephen Ferris during last weekend's defeat at Ravenhill.
After a lengthy process and much deliberation at ERC headquarters, judicial officer Jeff Blackett deemed Dupuy guilty of foul play and imposed the 24-week ban, the upper end of sanctions he could have been given.
Dupuy’s ban runs up to and including June 3rd, 2010 which not only rules him out of the Heineken Cup but has cost him the chance to play in the Six Nations as he was one of the first choice scrumhalfs for France. He still has right of appeal.
Dupuy’s team mate David Attoub was also in front of today’s hearing after he was cited for his involvement in the incident with Ferris. However, officials could not come to a satisfactory conclusion and require further evidence.
The hearing therefore was adjourned until January with an interim ban imposed on Attoub, pending the outcome of the hearing.
The hearings were adjourned yesterday “due to unforeseen travel delays” concerning the French players getting to Dublin and resulted in the session getting under way from 7.30am this morning.
During the second half of last week's game, Dupuy was seen raking his hand across Ferris' eyes twice. Another image revealed substitute prop-forward Attoub with his finger clearly stuck in Ferris' eye as both players lay on the ground.
