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London - Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond has been given a six-week touchline ban after verbally abusing match officials earlier this month.
Late on Wednesday, after Diamond had pleaded guilty, a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel upheld a charge of "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union and/or the game" following Sale's Anglo-Welsh Cup win over English Premiership rivals Harlequins on February 3.
The 49-year-old Diamond will serve three of those weeks immediately and the remaining three weeks will be suspended until the end of the 2018/19 season.
Diamond has also been fined £3,000 half of which is payable immediately and the rest also suspended until the end of the 2018/19 campaign.
Both suspended punishments will become active in the event of Diamond committing a similar offence.
"The panel deprecates any abuse of match officials, regardless of the circumstances," said an RFU statement.
"Such behaviour is contrary to the spirit of rugby and the core values of the game and will be treated seriously by disciplinary panels."
Diamond will be suspended from entering the playing enclosure/technical area, and approaching and talking to all match officials during and after the games covered by the ban.
