Fijian Drua centre Eroni Vasiteri has been slapped with a nine-week ban for eye-gouging Canberra Vikings hooker Folau Faingaa.
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Vasiteri and fullback Apisalome Waqatabu faced the National Rugby Championship judiciary after the duo were cited for making contact with a player's eyes at Vikings Park last week.
Faingaa made an on-field complaint that he'd been eye-gouged at the bottom of ruck but with inconclusive footage referee Angus Gardner was unable to take further action during the round five clash.
The incident was reviewed and the pair were cited for breaching law 10.4 (m) 'contact with the eye(s)' or 'contact with the eye area'.
Vaseitri was found guilty but a clean disciplinary record saw a minimum 12-week suspension reduced to nine weeks, while Waqatabu was acquitted at the hearing on Thursday night.
Judicial officer Terry Willis ruled the offence on the low end on a scale of seriousness and ruled Vaseitri ineligible to play until December 3.
The Vikings are second on the NRC ladder and face bottom-placed Melbourne Rising away on Sunday, with Wallabies lock Rory Arnold returning to the side.
