Flying Fijians flanker and Racing 92 debutant Kitione Kamikamica has been suspended for three weeks in the Heineken Champions Cup.
This is after an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Round 2 match against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop.
Kamikamica was sent off by the referee, Craig Evans in the 51st minute of the match for tackling the Harlequins fullback Nick David in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Kim Moloney, Chair, Simon Thomas and Frank Hadden considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Kamikamica, who accepted the red card decision, from the player’s legal representative, Neil Robertson, from the Racing 92 legal representative, Judith Regnault, from the Racing 92 Director of Rugby, Laurent Travers, from the Racing 92 Team Manager, Teddy Boutaayacht, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision finding that Kamikamica had tackled David in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.18 and it determined that the offending was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
Due to the player’s good disciplinary record and his guilty plea, it was decided to grant him the full 50 per cent mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
Kamikamica is free to play on Monday, 9 January 2023, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 2 January 2023.
Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
