19 January 2010:  The Stade Francais prop David Attoub has been banned for 70 weeks after being found guilty of gouging.  Photographic evidence showed the 28-year-old making contact with the eyes of Ulster forward David Ferris in a Heineken Cup match on 12th December.  The suspension is one of the longest in European rugby.  Attoub will appeal against the punishment but if unsuccessful he will not be eligible to play again until 22 April 2011. 

In his judgement the judicial officer Jeff Blackett said: "This is the worst act of contact with the eyes that I have had to deal with - it is a case of deliberate eye gouging which caused significant distress and some injury to the victim. The sanction must be such to make other players stop and think before someone suffers a really serious eye injury."

Attoub's team-mate Julien Dupuy is currently serving a 23-week ban for another gouging incident in the same match.

We can understand the extreme pressure on teams to win, but for players to try to injure their opponents in the process?  Is a 70-week ban enough or should a lifetime ban be the ultimate sanction?