Ronan O'Gara has been handed a 10-week touchline ban for comments he made regarding Top 14 match officials following Racing 92's defeat to La Rochelle on October 8th.
Having also been handed a €15,000 fine for his troubles, O'Gara follows Racing's head coach Laurent Labit in being heavily sanctioned for his unwelcome remarks.
Requiring a converted try to secure parity late on in this Top 14 clash, Racing scrum-half Teddy Iribaren was penalised by the referee for a no-arm tackle.
Taking exception to this and a host of earlier decisions that he felt had gone the way of the home team to Racing's detriment, O'Gara was not shy in making his consternation clear.
With the Parisian side currently sitting 8th in the Top 14 table, this latest disappointment was clearly one too many for O'Gara and Labit.
While the head coach is already serving a 15 week ban, O'Gara's 12 weeks will mean his pitch-side absence will run until December 31st.
A ban that will only result in his absence for domestic matches, O'Gara will be present in Thomand Park this weekend as Racing 92 travel to Limerick to face Munster in a Champions Cup tie.
Having overcome the Leicester Tigers in the first round of pool games, Racing will be keen to keep their poor domestic form to one side.
