French rugby flanker Axelle Berthoumieu faces a year-long absence from the sport following a 12-match suspension for biting an opponent during the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
The 25-year-old will remain banned until March 2026 after the incident involving Ireland's Aoife Wafer.
The disciplinary panel's verdict means Berthoumieu misses France's crucial semi-final encounter with England.
Les Blues secured their place in the last four with an 18-13 victory over Ireland in Exeter, but will proceed without their flanker.
Axelle Berthoumieu was seen biting Ireland's Aoife wafer
|BBC SPORT
The suspension, handed down by a foul play review committee, was reduced from an initial 18-match penalty. Berthoumieu has lodged an appeal against the decision.
Spectators watching the match drew parallels with football's most infamous biting incidents. One supporter described the behaviour as "crazy" and suggested it "makes Suarez look like a nibble."
The reference recalls former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who gained notoriety for biting three different opponents during his career. His victims included players whilst representing Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay, with the most high-profile incident occurring against Italy during the 2014 World Cup.
Another viewer went further, asserting "that was worse than Suarez's bite."
Match officials failed to spot the biting incident despite clear evidence presented during play.
Wafer displayed bite marks on her arm to the referee, yet no immediate action was taken against the French player.
Television viewers witnessed the incident clearly on their screens, though the Television Match Official chose not to intervene with a formal review.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
Fans have drawn comparisons to footballer Luis Suarez
|GETTY
The retrospective disciplinary process only commenced after the match concluded.
World Rugby later acknowledged that their TMO could not establish "clear and obvious foul play" during the live review, lacking the additional evidence that subsequently emerged.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
World Rugby's disciplinary committee initially considered an 18-match suspension as the standard mid-range penalty for such offences.
The panel ultimately reduced this to 12 matches after considering mitigating factors.
The governing body's statement explained that whilst Berthoumieu expressed remorse and admitted the offence, full mitigation wasn't granted.
France will go on to face England in the semi-final
|GETTY
The committee cited the serious nature of her actions and noted she had the chance to stop her behaviour but continued regardless.
The suspension effectively removes Berthoumieu from competitive rugby for over six months. Given the scheduling of upcoming fixtures, her ban extends until March 1 2026, meaning she'll miss significant international matches beyond the current World Cup tournament.