Thursday 23 February 2017 12:05, UK
The RFU have announced that Sale Sharks rugby director Steve Diamond has been handed a six-week ban.
Diamond was charged by the RFU with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Union and/or the game after he allegedly verbally abused match officials following an Anglo-Welsh Cup win over Harlequins on 3 February.
And Diamond pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared in front of an RFU Disciplinary Panel on Wednesday.
An RFU statement reported: "Diamond was given a six-week suspension and will serve three of those weeks immediately. The remaining three weeks will be suspended until the end of the 2018/19 season.
"In addition, Diamond has been fined £3,000, half of which is payable immediately and the rest again suspended until the end of the 2018/19 season.
"Both suspended elements will be activated in the event of another similar offence.
"Diamond will be suspended from entering the playing enclosure/technical area, approaching all match officials [directly or indirectly] and talking to the match officials both during and after the game, including at half time."
The Disciplinary panel said: "The panel deprecates any abuse of match officials regardless of the circumstances.
"Such behaviour is contrary to the spirit of rugby and the core values of the game, and will be treated seriously by disciplinary panels."
