Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has become the first coach sanctioned under World Rugby's newly introduced Match Official Abuse Sanctioning Process, receiving an automatic two-match suspension that will see him absent from the touchline — and barred from the stadium entirely — for Italy's Nations Championship Tests against Australia and the Springboks in November.
The ban follows public comments Quesada made criticising referee Luc Ramos after Italy's 47-17 defeat to the All Blacks on 11 July. The new process, agreed at World Rugby's Shape of the Game forum, came into effect this month.
World Rugby's independent panel — comprising the judicial panel chair and two experienced panel members — assessed whether Quesada's comments alleged bias, prejudice, improper motive, external influence or deliberate intent to affect an outcome, or whether they would objectively undermine public confidence in match officials. The governing body noted that its social media protection programme, running since 2023, has established that a significant proportion of online abuse directed at officials originates from inaccurate post-match commentary by those in positions of authority.
Sanctions under the framework range from no further action through to guidance letters, formal warnings and the automatic suspensions now applicable to the most serious cases. Quesada retains the right to appeal to a full judicial committee hearing.
Italy face further disruption for the Australia Test after lock Niccolò Cannone was handed a three-match ban for a headbutt on All Blacks scrum-half Cam Roigard during the same fixture.