News: Attoub "traumatised" at 70-week ban; Guazzini claims "anti-French bias" again

20 January 2010

Stade Francais president Max Guazzini has again claimed "anti-French bias" after club prop David Attoub was slapped with a massive 70-week ban by the ERC.

But Guazzini, as he did after Dupuy's ban, believes that his two players have been given especially harsh penalties because they of their nationality. "We tumbled upon an overzealous judge with an anti-French bias," he said after Attoub's ban was announced. Then, with reference to the previously lenient bans for South African Schalk Burger last summer, Guazzini added: "Burger got eight weeks, Attoub 70 weeks - where's the sense in that?"

Stade Francais head coach Jacques Delmas was similarly unimpressed by the ban, confirming that the club would appeal against the decision. "Everyone in the team is very affected by this. It is still the 100 years war with the ERC," he added.

Attoub's massive ban underlines the IRB's desire to clamp down heavily on eye-gouging, something that was backed up Blackett in his summing at the end of the prop's hearing.

"The offending wad deliberate. Ferris felt a hand searching for his eyes and then apply significant force with his finger into his right eye. This was neither accidental nor reckless and was clearly designed to cause significant discomfort to Ferris. The actions were serious. There was no provocation and Ferris was in an extremely vulnerable position.

"He must have realised that there was a risk of causing a serious injury and he had no concern for the welfare of his victim."

Because Blackett deemed the offence to be at the highest level of seriousness the starting point for Attoub's ban was 52 weeks. The additional 18 weeks were due to Attoub's previous disciplinary record - which featured three incidents and included a six-week ban for gouging in 2005 - and also because the player continued to protest his innocence.

However, Blackett said he held back from an even lengthier ban despite Stade challenging the legitimacy of the photograph that caught Attoub's act.

"This was a serious attempt to evade responsibility," said Blackett. "I was minded to increase the sanction, but was persuaded not to do so. The conduct was particularly unattractive," he added.

Attoub, who continues to protest his innocence, broke down in tears when the lengthy sentence was announced.  "Of course, I see that it was very wrong," he said afterwards to JFP. "Seventy weeks is hard. It's a bit complicated. I was fighting with a player, number 17. Two or three other players got onto me and I tried to get out of a precarious situation.

"But the judge decided that I was guilty on the evidence of photos. I stayed on his face for only 25 thousandths of a second. There is expert photo which shows what I did was not calculated. I am traumatised."

Attoub said the ban effectively meant he would now be preventing from playing in Top 14 for two seasons and vowed that he would fight to clear his name. "I am guilty only of fighting with their prop. I do not know if they wanted to make an example of me but this is more than a sanction: it is the end of my career and it has serious consequences."

Reports suggest that players at various Top 14 clubs are considering wearing armbands this weekend in protest at the length of Attoub's ban.

In a separate incident, Perpignan prop Jerome Schuster picked up a two-week ban for headbutting Denis Leamy during the Heineken Cup clash with Munster.

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