published on behalf of an independent Disciplinary Committee Manuel Carizza suspended for three weeks The Lyon second row, Manuel Carizza, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in Paris today (Wednesday, 17 October) arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 1 match against the Cardiff Blues at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland. Carizza was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Shaun Gallagher (England), for striking the Cardiff Blues fly half, Jarrod Evans, with his forearm in the 74^th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.12. Law 9.12 Striking with the arm Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks. An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Sam Hillas (England), Chair, Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Tony Wheat (England), heard evidence and submissions from Carizza, who pleaded guilty to the charge, from the Lyon Team Manager, Gérald Gambetta, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan. The Committee upheld the complaint and found that the act of foul play was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point. As there were no aggravating factors, the Committee reduced the sanction by the maximum amount of 50% before imposing a suspension of three weeks. As Carizza is due to retire from the game shortly, it was also decided not to announce a return to play date in this instance. Manu Leiataua suspended for three weeks The Perpignan hooker, Manu Leiataua, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in Paris today (Wednesday, 17 October) arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Sale Sharks at Stade Aimé Giral. Leiataua was sent off by referee, Joy Neville (Ireland), in the 19^th minute of the match for striking an opponent with his forearm in contravention of Law 9.12. Law 9.12 Striking with the arm Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.  An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Pam Woodman (Scotland), Chair, Marcello d’Orey (Portugal) and John Greenwood (England), heard evidence and submissions from Leiataua, who pleaded guilty to the offence, from Perpignan’s legal representative, Pierre Becque, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan. The Committee upheld the red card decision and found that the act of foul play was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point. As there were no aggravating factors, and given the player’s guilty plea and clear disciplinary record, the Committee decided to reduce the sanction by the maximum amount of 50% before imposing a suspension of three weeks. Leiataua is free to play on Monday, 5 November. Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision. Notes (i) Red Cards a) The case of any player sent off in Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches shall be adjudicated by an independent Disciplinary Committee or an independent Judicial Officer as soon as is practicable. b) Until the hearing the player is ineligible to play in any tournament. (ii) Citing Commissioners a) Citing Commissioners are appointed by EPCR for all Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches and shall be entitled to cite a player for any act or acts of Foul Play that in the Citing Commissioner's opinion warranted a red card. b) For such matches, clubs will not have the power to cite a player but may refer incidents to the Citing Commissioner within 26 hours of the start of the match. c) The Citing Commissioner will have 50 hours from the start of the match to make a citing. In certain circumstances this deadline can be extended. d) The tournament Disciplinary Officer may forward the submitted citing to a Citing Officer to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for the citing to progress. e) The Disciplinary Officer will then bring a charge against the cited player. (iii) Disciplinary Hearing a) The independent Disciplinary Committee or independent Judicial Officer are chosen by the chairman of the independent Disciplinary Panel, Mike Hamlin. b) EPCR's Disciplinary Officer presents the case against the player. c) If a decision is upheld, the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will be required to consider the appropriate sanction under World Rugby's sanctioning regime, which EPCR is obliged to follow. The seriousness of the player's actions will be first assessed in order to determine which of the three stipulated entry points (lower end, mid-range and top end) is the most appropriate. d) The Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will determine the appropriate entry point based on an assessment of a number of particular characteristics of the player's actions, including whether or not they were intentional, whether or not they caused any injuries and whether or not they had any effect on the relevant match. e) After deciding the entry point, the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will then consider whether the suspension should be increased from the entry point to take account of certain specified aggravating factors, such as a poor disciplinary record or the need for deterrence, and/or decreased from the entry point to take account of certain specified mitigating actions, such as a guilty plea, a good disciplinary record, the player's conduct at the hearing and expressions of remorse. f) A suspension is a blanket ban from playing rugby union anywhere in the world. Players are suspended on the basis that a one-week period of suspension would ordinarily result in a player missing one match. Suspensions take into account periods of inactivity (such as the close season), periods when a player is injured or otherwise not fit to play, and when a player is not available or not expected to play. Suspensions should also take into account any out-of-season matches which are not considered to be meaningful, or which are not close enough to the season to be a determining factor in a player’s future selection. g) Both parties to the hearing (EPCR and the player) have the right to appeal decisions. Appeals must be lodged within three (3) working days of receiving the full written decision of the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer. h) The full written decision will be available on epcrugby.com/discipline/hearing-decisions when the disciplinary process is complete. i) For World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 1 to World Rugby Regulation 17, go to www.world.rugby