A Disciplinary Committee met via teleconference in South Africa to consider the red-card decision against Velleman (No 6) of the Isuzu Southern Kings which occurred against the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday, February 2, 2019.

The player was shown a red card by referee Stuart Berry under Law 9.11 – Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others.

The incident occurred in the 63rd minute of the Guinness PRO14 Round 12 fixture at Toyota Stadium where the referee deemed the player to have committed an act of foul play against an opponent (No 7 Junior Pokomela).

The Player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play and that his actions warranted a red card. The Disciplinary Committee, comprising of Adv Tokkie van Zyl SC (Chair), Adv Maria Mokhoaetsi and Mr Stefan Terblanche (All South Africa), concluded that the player had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card and agreed with the referee’s decision.

Due to contact with an opponent’s head the Committee chose a mid-range sentence of six weeks’ suspension. With consideration to the Player’s previously clean disciplinary record, his admission of guilt and remorse shown to his opponent the Committee applied maximum mitigation of 50 per cent reducing the suspension to three weeks.

The Player is free to return to play on March 3, 2019. The Player was also reminded of his right to appeal.

- PRO14