Fijian Drua scrum-half Frank Lomani was banned for six weeks on Wednesday after being sent off in a Super Rugby match during which he was allegedly racially abused from the crowd.
Lomani, 27, received a red card for deliberately elbowing Rebels lock Josh Canham in the back of the head during the 41-20 defeat at the Melbourne Reds last Friday.
Lomani is banned until May 26 and will miss Drua’s six remaining regular season games.
Drua alleged that Lomani was racially abused by “one or two individuals” in the crowd as he left the field and the club were “shocked” by the incident.
“Clearly there is no place for racism of any kind anywhere,” Drua said.
Melbourne Rebels apologised, Drua said, adding that Lomani was receiving support for the alleged abuse and Super Rugby were investigating.
Drua’s Jone Koroiduadua was also red carded in the match, for a 74th-minute head-butt, and he was banned for two weeks.
The disciplinary committee ruled that Koroiduadua had “made limited contact with the head of the victim player” and took his otherwise unblemished record into account.
Fijian Drua next face Wellington Hurricanes, the only team still unbeaten this season, at home on Friday.
