Argentine sevens rugby international Santiago Gomez Cora has been suspended from all rugby until February 15 following a biting incident in the New Zealand rugby sevens final yesterday.
The penalty, handed out an an IRB judicial hearing in Wellington last night, means Gomez Cora will miss the next leg of the IRB sevens circuit in Los Angeles next week, a statement from the New Zealand Rugby Union said.
Gomez Cora had been ordered off by referee Craig Joubert for biting New Zealand captain Liam Messam in a tackle.
At the hearing, Gomez Cora admitted that he had bitten the New Zealand player but claimed he had done so in response to provocation from Messam, the statement said.
The judicial officer, Bruce Squire, QC, said that he had considerable reservations as to whether there had been any provocation by Messam.
However, he found the biting incident was not serious. Messam was not aware that he had been bitten and suffered no injury as a result, the statement said.
Gomez Cora expressed remorse at the incident.
- NZPA
Argentinian biter suspended
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