France international rugby star Mathieu Bastareaud has been banned for three weeks after making a homophobic remark in a game.
Bastareaud, 29, admitted verbally assaulting former Hartpury College pupil Sebastian Negri during Sunday’s European Champions Cup match between Toulon and Benetton Treviso.
World Rugby rules state the offence comes with a minimum six-week ban, but it was halved due to his guilty plea.
Television footage then showed Bastareaud making the comment, which he apologised for on Twitter on Sunday.
Bonsoir tout le monde,
Je tiens à m’excuser de ma réaction aux insultes du joueur Italien.
J’ai mal réagi en répondant à sa provocation, j’en suis sincèrement navré pour les personnes que j’ai pu blesser.— Mathieu Bastareaud (@BastaOfficiel) January 14, 2018
Good evening everybody, I want to apologise for my response to the insults of the Italian player.
I reacted badly in responding to his provocation, I am sincerely sorry for the people I hurt.
The European Professional Club Rugby committee hearing the case upheld the citing complaint against Bastareaud, saying that the nature of the verbal abuse warranted a red card.
The Toulon centre was initially named in the French Six Nations squad but has since been dropped by new head coach, Jacques Brunel. He will be replaced by Jonathan Danty of Stade Francais.
