STADE FRANCAIS scrumhalf Julien Dupuy has seen his 24-week ban for eye gouging reduced by one week by an independent appeal committee.

The France international had been handed the original ban for gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during Stade’s 23-13 Heineken Cup defeat at Ravenhill on December 12th.

The suspension was condemned at the time by Stade president Max Guazzini, who described it as “excessive, very political and anti-French”, and Dupuy chose to launch an appeal.

And while the committee did opt to reduce the sanction it is unlikely to prove much comfort to the six-times capped half-back.