Tincu ban stands
Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:23
Marius Tincu, the Perpignan hooker, will have to serve the full term of his 18-month ban for eye-gouging.
Tincu, a 30-year-old Romanian, was banned following French club Perpignan's 15-9 Heineken Cup win over Welsh side Ospreys after being found guilty of poking his fingers into the eyes of prop Paul James.
In a statement on Friday an independent Appeal Committee, said the appeal - brought Tincu against the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee - had been dismissed.
"The independent Appeal Committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie [Scotland] and also comprising Achille Reali [Italy] and Chris Quinlan [England], found that Marius Tincu had not demonstrated that the original decision had been in error, or that it should be overturned or varied, and accordingly the Appeal Committee dismissed the appeal and upheld the suspension imposed on the player of eighteen [18] weeks," the statement said.
The independent Appeal Committee heard submissions made on behalf of Tincu and ERC's Disciplinary Officer at the appeal hearing on Wednesday, November 12, before retiring to deliberate on the case.
The appeal was against the decision of an independent Disciplinary Committee (Tuesday, November 4) which found Tincu guilty of foul play in that he had made contact with the eye/eye area of Paul James during the Round Two Heineken Cup Pool Three match against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, October 18.
The original Disciplinary Committee suspended the player for a period of eighteen (18) weeks running up to and including Monday, March 9.
