RUGBY/European Cup: Ismaeli Lassissi, the Ivory Coast-born number eight who plays with French club Castres, could face a lengthy ban which would effectively end his career after he was cited by Munster for allegedly biting Peter Clohessy in Saturday's Heineken Cup quarter-final at Stade Pierre-Antoine.
However, in response, Castres last night issued a formal citing of their own which claimed that Lassissi (32), "was subject to repeated racist and discriminatory comments".
According to an ERC spokesperson, no individual Munster players were actually named in the written Castres citing, as seemingly it was directed at Munster en bloc.
In accordance with ERC rules, hearings into both citings will be held within five days, most probably therefore on Friday or Saturday, by an ERC disciplinary committee.
Initially, when Munster reviewed the video of the incident the blurred recording looked inconclusive, and video evidence is pretty much compulsory to back up such a serious charge. But after viewing clearer recordings of the incident and following lengthy discussions, Munster changed tack and officially cited Lassissi yesterday.
In a statement Munster team manager Jerry Holland said: "After discussions between team management and Munster chief executive Garret Fitzgerald, we have decided to cite the Castres number eight, Ismaela Lassissi for an incident that took place during the game at Stade Pierre-Antoine on Saturday. Accordingly we have lodged the necessary documentation with ERC Ltd to allow them deal with the matter."
Repeated showings on French television have highlighted Lassissi's mouth bearing down on Clohessy's arm as a scrum turned in and collapsed. The 58th-minute incident has led to speculation that Lassissi will be banned for anything up to three years.
There is some sympathy for Lassissi nonetheless, as people who know him maintain he is a relatively quiet and intelligent individual for whom such an act is totally out of character. But given that Lassissi is now 32, the feeling is that his playing career may be about to end.
The ramifications for Munster are less clear-cut. As has been shown by the row regarding alleged racist abuse of Newcastle's Tongan back-rower Epi Taione by the French-born Gloucester hooker of Moroccan extraction Olivier Azam, such accusations are hard to prove. It is believed that Clohessy, for one, will strenuously deny any such charges.
"I never actually spoke to him (Lassissi) during the match at any stage, or passed any comment to him," said Clohessy last night. "I went to the referee (to complain about the alleged biting) and it was the referee I spoke to only, not him."
In a separate issue, the eight quarter-finalists in the Heineken Cup have until 5 p.m. this afternoon to name the three additional players (one of whom must be a prop) which they are permitted to add to their squads for the knock-out stages.
Meanwhile, 30 players out of 43 took a full part in the first day of Ireland's five-day get-together in Limerick.
Five players were not in attendance, namely Reggie Corrigan (strained ankle ligaments), Anthony Horgan (damaged shoulder), Shane Horgan (damaged ribs), Malcolm O'Kelly (damaged cheekbone/eye socket), and Brian O'Meara (knee ligaments). O'Kelly is hoping to be present tomorrow, however.
Futhermore, the following weren't able to take part: Brian O'Driscoll (dead leg), Girvan Dempsey (tight hamstring), Jonny Bell (dead leg), Gordon D'Arcy (shoulder), Paul Wallace (neck and hand), Victor Costello (knee), Keith Wood and Peter Stringer. Wood actually took a few throws while, encouragingly, Stringer did some running exercises with Dr Liam Hennessy.
This afternoon's session in Thomond Park (starting at 3 p.m.) will be open to the public.
A few hundred enquiries have already been made to the Leinster Branch regarding tickets for the European Cup quarter-final against Leicester at Welford Road on Sunday week. As each home club is obliged to 20 per cent of ticket category (the Welford capacity is 16,800) the Leinster Branch has asked that any interested supporters should contact them as soon as possible.
