Suspension of Toulon’s points penalty reduced to one season

Toulon have had the period of suspension for their five-point penalty from European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) reduced from three seasons to one following an appeal.

The sanction was handed down after their president Mourad Boudjellal suggested in an interview that centre Mathieu Bastareaud’s hearing for allegedly using homophobic language would be heard by the ECPR’s “Mormon side”.

Bastareaud was given a three-week ban having pleaded guilty to verbally abusing an opposing player in a European Champions Cup clash with Benetton Treviso in January.

The EPCR has announced an independent appeal committee has upheld the five-point penalty but shortened the length of time during which it can be enacted.

“Toulon argued that the original decision of the Disciplinary Committee had been made in error and should be overturned. The club also argued that the suspended points deduction was disproportionate, and that the order of costs was excessive,” read a statement from the EPCR.

“The appeal committee determined that the appeal should be denied in every respect save that it decided to vary the terms of the original decision in one limited aspect relating to the suspension of the points deduction, by reducing the period of suspension from three seasons to one season.

“The points deduction will therefore be suspended only for the 2018-19 season and the club will still be required to pay its contribution to the costs of the initial hearing.”

Boudjellal had not contested a previous ruling that resulted in him being fined €75,000, with a further €25,000 suspended for three years.

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