CLERMONT AUVERGNE FLANKER Viktor Kolelishvili has been hit with a 14-week suspension after a disciplinary hearing in Paris today.
The openside was cited for a push on referee Wayne Barnes during Clermont’s Champions Cup defeat to Ospreys on Friday.
World Rugby sanctions under Law 10.4 (m) – ‘acts contrary to good sportsmanship’ – outline a low end entry point of 24 weeks, and this was the punishment levied at Kolelishvili.
Ireland’s David Martin was the presiding judicial officer in Paris today and he found that the Georgian’s offence warranted a red card.
Martin arrived at the figure of 14 weeks after adding two weeks to the sanction for a total of 26 weeks. The ban was then ‘reduced by half’ on account of the 26-year-old’s immediate apology to Barnes and subsequent guilty plea at today’s hearing.
The suspension means Kolelishvili is not permitted to play until 25 April 2016 and so will miss Clermont’s Champions Cup round six clash with Bordeaux as well as the quarter-final and semi-final if the Top 14 side make it that far in the competition.
Kolelishvili will next be available to Jono Gibbes’ pack when Racing Metro welcome Clermont to Paris on 30 April.