Friday 17 November 2017 10:38, UK
Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond has been handed a six-week stadium ban after pleading guilty of "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game".
The charges levied against Diamond stemmed from an interview he gave after the Sharks were beaten 10-6 by the Exeter Chiefs at the AJ Bell Stadium on October 27.
Diamond was alleged to have "failed to respect the authority of match referee Craig Maxwell-Keys" and Thursday's hearing saw him plead guilty.
He has now been given a three-week stadium ban, with three further weeks suspended until the end of 2018-19 season which could be activated if he offends again.
A previous three-week suspended touchline ban on Diamond from February 2017 has also been activated, although Diamond stood himself down for two of those games, leaving him to miss this Sunday's clash with the Leicester Tigers to complete it.
He will also have to pay a £1,500 suspended fine from that punishment.
Diamond will then be banned from the stadium for Aviva Premiership matches against Northampton and Worcester and the European Challenge Cup game against Cardiff Blues.
Disciplinary panel chairman Ian Unsworth QC said: "The panel were disappointed that Mr Diamond was before them once again charged with acting in a way which undermines the values of the game.
"The comments made in the post-match interview clearly and obviously undermined the referee and were an attack upon his character, competence and integrity. Those comments struck at the heart of the game's core values.
"The game is built upon respect. There must be respect for officials. The panel made it clear that the continuing behaviour of Mr Diamond is unacceptable and, if it continues, may lead a future panel to consider deducting points from Sale Sharks."
