Having been found guilty of using a homophobic slur during Toulon's Champions Cup win over Benetton on Sunday, French centre Mathieu Bastareaud has been handed a 3-week ban.
Three-week ban for Mathieu Bastareaud for verbally abusing an opponent - cut from six cos he pleaded guilty. Offence found to be 'low end'. Look forward to seeing the full written judgement...
— robert kitson (@robkitson) January 17, 2018
While the full-report of the findings is yet to be released, it has been determined that Bastareaud's offence was considered to be "low end", and thus worthy of what many will feel is a disappointingly lenient sentence.
Having initially been handed a six-week ban, his guilty plead cut Bastareaud's ban by half.
'It found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.'
Bastareaud's 3-week ban is an absolute joke— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) January 17, 2018
With Toulon romping to a very convincing victory over Benetton, Bastareaud was caught on film calling Sebastian Negri a "fucking faggot" - the incident can be viewed here.
Although there is no apparent case to be answered by Negri himself, after making his own comments to the Benetton player, Bastareaud, whilst speaking with the referee, alluded toward the notion that something offensive had been directed toward him by an undisclosed Benetton player.
No excuse for the slur Bastareaud used thereafter, the result of today's announcement will mean that the French player shall be ineligible for France's opening Six Nations tie against Ireland.
3 week ban for Bastareaud. He'll miss the Ireland game https://t.co/Jimr8WSyCR
— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) January 17, 2018
For now though, attention will turn toward the fact officials from a sport which has done more than most of its size to reduce and remove the occurrence of such stigmas has decided to deal with Bastareaud's offence in what many will believe is a thoroughly unsatisfying manner.
