GLOUCESTER hooker Olivier Azam has revealed ex-Kingsholm prop Phil Vickery provided a character statement ahead of his recent RFU Disciplinary Hearing.

The Frenchman was banned for 12 weeks on Tuesday for kicking out at England captain Steve Borthwick.

In Azam's French Connection column exclusively in The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo today he takes issue with the way the national press have reported the story.

But he also felt moved to thank Vickery, and Gloucester director of rugby operations Rob Burgess, for their role in helping him.

He writes: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody that has loyally supported me through this tough time in my career, especially Rob Burgess and Phil Vickery.

"Rob did a fantastic job speaking on my behalf and Phil was good enough to provide a character statement. I'm grateful to them both."

Gloucester released a statement in response to the newspaper headlines which greeted the panel's decision.

It read: "In an effort to bring pers- pective to headlines related to the decision by the RFU to ban Olivier Azam, Gloucester Rugby would like to highlight the following key findings.

● Azam's left foot was being 'grabbed and twisted' by an opponent.

● Azam deliberately kicked out 'in an effort to free himself'.

● Azam was not 'aiming for Steve Borthwick's head or face'.

● The contact between Azam's boot and Steve Borthwick's head was acknowledged to be accidental."

The club have until noon tomorrow to decide whether to appeal the length of the ban.