Azam and Taione receive suspensions
January 10, 2002

Gloucester prop Olivier Azam and Newcastle flanker Epi Taione have both been suspended for their part in a violent clash between their sides last month.

Frenchman Azam, whose nose was broken in a fiery brawl, was suspended for five weeks for his part in the bust-up that led to allegations of racism.

He was also banned for three weeks for spitting at Taione, though both sentences were ordered to run concurrently by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel which studied the incident for almost three hours at a Heathrow hotel.

Taione was suspended for three weeks after pleading guilty to fighting, the committee ruling that he was provoked by the stormy nature of the game and by Azam spitting in his face.

Both players were ordered to pay £200 costs, with the suspensions running from the day the clash took place in the Zurich Premiership match - December 29.

The allegations of racist abuse against Azam were not ruled upon by the committee, who instead recommended that RFU disciplinary officer Robert Horner launches an investigation into the allegations as soon as possible.

The disciplinary committee also ruled that neither Gloucester or Newcastle players or officials discuss the allegations in public before the RFU publish their report

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