Olivier Azam banned for three months
Gloucester Rugby hooker Olivier Azam will not play again until next year after he was banned for 12 weeks for his kick on Saracens’ Steve Borthwick.
The ban is the maximum a player can receive for use of the boot, with Azam’s previous poor record, including bans for spitting and eye gouging, counting against him.
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Olivier Azam
He was caught on camera appearing to lash out at Borthwick, who had grabbed the Frenchman’s left ankle at the bottom of a ruck in the 11th minute of the game on September 27 at Vicarage Road.
The England captain needed a trip to an eye hospital as a result of the incident, after which Azam denied making any intentional contact.
But the RFU Disciplinary Panel saw it differently at a Bristol Filton Holiday Inn hearing which lasted more than four hours last night.
Azam, who admitted the offence, will next be available for selection for the game against Worcester on January 2, unless there is a successful appeal against the length.
The Saracens game was only Azam’s second since returning from a nine-week ban for ‘making contact with the eye or eye area’ of Cardiff Blues centre Jamie Roberts.
That saw him miss all four of Gloucester’s pre-season games and the first two Guinness Premiership fixtures.
Azam also denied any wrongdoing in that incident, suggesting the video evidence was never released because it showed the contact was minor.
The ban for spitting came during the 2001/2002 season, in an incident involving Epi Taione, who was then playing for Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Adam Eustace was also banned for three weeks after admitting stamping on scrum-half Justin Marshall.
Read Azam’s reaction to the suspension in his exclusive column for The Citizen tomorrow.
23 Comments
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by Ninja of love, Newnham-on-Severn
Thursday, October 08 2009, 9:03AM
“Thank you FR”
by FR, Glos
Thursday, October 08 2009, 6:26AM
“Some perspective -
In an effort to bring perspective to media headlines
related to last night's decision by an RFU Panel to ban Olivier Azam for 12
weeks after pleading guilty to kicking an opponent, Gloucester Rugby would like
to highlight the following key findings from the Judgement published
today.
Olivier Azams left foot was being grabbed and twisted by an opponent
Olivier Azam deliberately kicked out in the direction of his left foot in an effort to free himself
Olivier Azam was not aiming for Steve Borthwicks head or face
The contact between Olivier Azams boot and Steve Borthwicks head was acknowledged by the
Chairman of the panel to be accidental
Gloucester Rugby has until 12:00hrs on Friday 9th October to decide whether to exercise its right to appeal
the decision of the Panel and will be making no further comment on the matter.”
by AA, Pitville
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 8:47PM
“Get back under your stone jd; hiding behind a cloak of obscurity tapping your keyboard, you're a limp wristed coward. Borthwick would squash you like like the maggot you clearly are. Do us all a favour and stick your thumb back in your gob until mum wakes you up for school. Night night.”
by Neil, Longlevens
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 6:59PM
“And this is the player that was voted player of the season by supporters. Says it all really...
Those who whinge that Azam is being targetted by referees , should ask themselves why this is so - perhaps previous incidents might be a factor. Gloucester would be better of without Azam and it would also be good to hear the end of the moronic chants that greet his latest indiscretion as he enters or leaves the field. Perhaps I'm supporting the wrong club if supporters genuinely believe this player's behaviour is acceptable. And just for the record, I'm not a "superficial" watcher of the game - I care greatly about Gloucester Rugby Club. Steve Borthwick (quote: "a bath imbecile") has at least made the most of his limited rugby talents in captaining his country. What has Azam actually achieved?”
by D Baldwin, Podsmead
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 6:22PM
“It does look as though, sadly, Azam¿s better days are behind him. He is often seen squaring-up to the opposition so his ability to cause trouble seems to outweigh his playing talents, certainly at some line-outs.
But having just read the comment on Gloucester rugby¿s website, it would appear as though the ban is extremely harsh. Apparently it was accepted by the disciplinary panel chairman that contact with Borthwick¿s head was ¿accidental¿ and that Azam¿s foot was being ¿twisted¿. I¿m not condoning Azam¿s actions, but if accepted as an attempt to "free himself" and not aiming at Borthwick, it implies Olly was just not careful; so why such a long ban, and what about some disciplinary being taken against Steve Borthwick?”
by Andy, Westgate
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 5:14PM
“I agree with most others - Thank god he isn't playing as he causes more disruption that benefits to the team - Should never have let C Fortey leave”
by Chelt to the end, Chelt
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 1:45PM
“Azam sucks!
Like I said on another story Azam OUT!
Oh yea, come on you warriors... Worcester that is.”
by Andy, Chelt
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 12:55PM
“I can see the same themes running through comments on here which have kept the Glos players on a pedestal they do not deserve to be on. A lot of Glos supporters will forgive their "heroes" any misdemeanor, on or off the pitch. It's exactly this attitude which has led to so many years with a mostly empty trophy cabinet. The players simply have no one to answer to. The misguided fools that fork out to go and watch these imposters clearly don't have the common sense to question where their hard earned money is going or more accurately what it is being wasted on. And being wasted it is.”
by Shed Fred, glaws
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 12:00PM
“I think this is blatently because of Borthwick.....
I think the only reason he pleaded guilty was because of pressure and the risk of the alternative if he didn't.
If a big guy like Oli had meant to hurt him, he'd have been stretchered off, not some soft cut to the head. It was clearly a reactionary thrust out not an intended act of violence.
He didn't get a red card on the day and that's what bothers me.. These "witch hunt" citations with no uniformity are getting silly. Pete Richards elbows someone in the face and gets a week, Oli gets 12?
joke!
roll on the ban finishing, we need Oli to keep getting those hard yards over the gainline in the breakdown!”
by HKC, Glos
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 11:02AM
“Had Azam intended to kick Borthwick in the face it is more than likely he would have bent his knee to get more of a thrust. Instead he just chopped down with his right leg, which for me was more an act of trying to get Borthwick's hands of his other leg rather than a kick to the face.
There is no doubt he deserved a ban regardles of whether it was intenional or not, but you can't help but think he has received such a long ban because of who he is!
Oli has been a liability at times, but his throwing has improved hugely and we will miss him. Hopefully there is some scope for him to appeal against this and get the ban reduced.
I'm not surprised to see so many supporters complaining about him as it seems we enjoy complaining about Gloucester more than we do actually supporting them!”