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Bundee Aki has been suspended for Ireland's first three Six Nations matches after being handed a four-game ban for "verbal abuse and disrespect" towards match officials in Connacht's United Rugby Championship (URC) loss to Leinster last weekend.
The 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year nominee was handed a six-week ban - two of which are suspended - after an independent disciplinary committee hearing found that he "engaged with the match official team after the game on several occasions".
Aki, 35, will miss Connacht's URC game against Zebre this weekend and Ireland's Six Nations fixtures against France, Italy and England.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) confirmed Aki had not travelled to Ireland's pre-tournament training camp in Portugal and said it would investigate the matter internally, with Ulster's Jude Postlethwaite called up to the squad.
Confirming the sanction, the URC said it recognised Aki's "full regret for his actions and was grateful for the approach he took towards the proceedings".
"However, given the player's previous disciplinary record (including incidents of a similar nature) and his lack of a plea in this case, the Independent Committee could not apply mitigation to the sanction," the statement added.
Ireland face France in Paris on 5 February before hosting Italy in Dublin on 14 February. They take on England at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium on 21 February before home games against Wales and Scotland on 6 and 14 March.
Two-time British and Irish Lions tourist Aki has won 68 caps for Ireland and has won three Six Nations titles, including Grand Slams in 2018 and 2023.
Aki's suspension is the latest blow for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell in the build-up to the Six Nations.
On Wednesday, the IRFU confirmed full-back Hugo Keenan returned home from Portugal with a fractured thumb.
Earlier this week, prop Jack Boyle and versatile forward Tom Ahern pulled out of the squad with Billy Bohan and Cormac Izuchukwu called up.
Reacting to Aki's suspension, former Ireland captain Rory Best said: "You can't do that [disrespect a referee]. I'm a big fan of Bundee as a player and a person but when you're talking about refereeing, they're definitely a lot more under the spotlight because it's not just how they control the game now, it's how fast the game flows.
"If the game doesn't last 90-minutes-ish, it's the referee's fault, if they go to the TMO too often, it's their fault. Things are happening in a split-second so there's a lot of spotlight on them."
Best, who captained Ireland to the 2018 Grand Slam, added he has a "lot of sympathy" for referees.
"Part of the values of the game and what makes rugby stand out above all other sports is that respect to the referee so if we're going to let that go, that's one part of our game, our history and future, that's broken away and then we can't stand on the soapbox that we love to stand on and go 'well, that wouldn't happen in a rugby match'.
"If we're going to let it happen, it will. I get as frustrated as anyone with refereeing decisions but they're humans trying to make the best decisions they can and there's so much spotlight, it's a really tricky position.
"The bottom line is from the values of the game, we need to protect them but without them you can't have the game either."
