Springbok Forward Wessels Handed Nine-Game Suspension for Genital Grab
Wessels will miss for South Africa's autumn internationals.
South Africa front-rower Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's genitals during the Blue Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The altercation occurred in the early stages of the close contest against Connacht on last Friday, with Connacht forward Murphy receiving a temporary dismissal after responding aggressively by hitting the South African on the head.
After Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the situation was reviewed by the television match official, who found no conclusive video evidence.
The Bulls player stayed on the pitch until he was substituted in the second half of the game.
Although the United Rugby Championship confirmed that the Irish player's temporary sending-off was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, Wessels was found to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"A player must not engage in actions that is contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or squeezing the private areas."
Disciplinary officials were satisfied that the event met the level for dismissal and justified a 12-week suspension, the shortest ban under international rugby regulations for such an offence.
Nonetheless, Wessels' ban was reduced by three weeks because of his good conduct during the hearing and his good record.
The forward and the Bulls have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will rule the 24-year-old out of the South African national team's fall internationals against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and Ireland.
Wessels will also miss the his club's league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as European cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Saints.
Wessels has won 10 caps for the Springboks and was part of their tri-nations champion team over the summer.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to play against the Irish rivals in this weekend's inter-provincial derby after being exonerated.
