South African Forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels Given Nine-Match Ban for Genital Grab
The player will miss for the Springboks' autumn internationals.
Springbok prop Wessels has been suspended of nine matches for touching opponent Josh Murphy's private parts during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship win over Connacht.
The altercation occurred in the early stages of the narrow victory against Connacht on last Friday, with opposing player Murphy being shown a 20-minute red card after responding aggressively by striking Wessels on the head.
Following Murphy reported the incident to the match official, the event was examined by the television match official, who found no conclusive video evidence.
The Bulls player remained on the field until he was replaced in the second half of the game.
While the United Rugby Championship announced that Murphy's 20-minute red card was withdrawn by a disciplinary panel, the Springbok was found to have breached the code of conduct, which specifies:
"Any athlete should not engage in actions that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship. Such behavior covers grabbing, pulling or compressing the genitals."
The panel determined that the event reached the red card threshold and justified a 12-week suspension, the minimum suspension under international rugby regulations for such an offence.
Nonetheless, Wessels' suspension was shortened by three weeks because of his cooperative behavior prior to and at the hearing and his clean disciplinary history.
The forward and the Pretoria-based team have the right to appeal, but as it stands, the suspension will prevent the young player out of the Springboks' autumn Tests against Japan, Les Bleus, the Azzurri and the Irish team.
He will also miss the Bulls' league matches against Glasgow, the Lions and the Cell C Sharks, as well as Investec Champions Cup fixtures with Bordeaux and Northampton.
Wessels has won 10 caps for South Africa and was included in their Rugby Championship-winning squad during the recent tournament.
Murphy, meanwhile, is available to face Munster in Saturday's domestic clash after being cleared.