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 | | Sunday, 9 June, 2002, 09:13 GMT 10:13 UK Mazzariol gets 12-week ban  Mazzariol (right) pleaded guilty to the charge Italy fly-half Francesco Mazzariol has been banned for 12 weeks after kicking All Blacks centre Daryl Gibson in the face during New Zealand's 64-10 Test victory in Hamilton. Mazzariol will be suspended from all matches until 31 August after the player was cited by commissioner Dennis Whelahan. The maximum recommended suspension for kicking an opponent is 26 weeks. But a three-man judicial panel took into account that Mazzariol pleaded guilty to the charge and expressed regret for the incident.
A previously unblemished record was also taken into account when suspending him. For his part, Gibson said Mazzariol's kick had not hurt him. "I don't know whether it was intentional or an accident," he said. "He just seemed to kick me in the face. When I felt it, I grabbed his leg and looked up." Gibson added that Mazzariol had apologised immediately. "It didn't hurt so I'm not really worried about it," added the Canterbury Crusaders centre. "I didn't feel there was much intent in it." The Test defeat completed Italy's three-match tour of New Zealand. | |
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