Australian batsman Darren Lehmann will be retained by Yorkshire next season despite his five-match suspension for making racial remarks.

Yorkshire's director of cricket Geoff Cope said he had been punished enough.

"As far as Yorkshire is concerned the ICC have dealt with the matter and it is time to move on," he said.

The 32-year-old was found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council's (ICC) racial vilification code during a three-hour hearing in Adelaide on Saturday.

Lehmann made the remark when he returned to the dressing room after being run out in a one-day match against Sri Lanka last week.

The dressing room is a sanctuary for players and nothing said there should be repeated outside of it Geoff Cope Yorkshire director of cricket

His subsequent apology was was accepted by the tourists.

Cope rejected claims that Lehmann was a racist.

"Knowing Darren as we do it is completely out of character. Darren is first to be saying he does not give his wicket away.

"He came off the pitch and through the members enclosure without saying a word.

"And it was only when he entered the dressing room that he made the remark which unfortunately for him was heard in the Sri Lankan dressing room.

"As far as I am concerned the dressing room is a sanctuary for players and nothing said there should be repeated outside of it."