France’s Axelle Berthoumieu will miss the rest of the Women’s World Cup after an appeal panel upheld a ban for biting during last weekend’s quarter-final against Ireland.
Berthoumieu had appealed a 12-match ban for biting against Ireland and while the panel reduced her suspension to nine games, she cannot play in the semi-final against England in Bristol on Saturday.
The 25-year-old will also miss the 27 September finals day at Twickenham, when France will either be involved in a third-place playoff or the final itself.
Berthoumieu was cited for biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafer.
She accepted she had committed a red-card offence but appealed against the length of her ban.
Berthoumieu, in an Instagram post published Tuesday, apologised for her actions by saying: “On Sunday during the match against Ireland, I lost my nerve.
“I know it’s unacceptable and I’m aware that it puts an end to my World Cup.
“I would like to sincerely apologise to Aoife Wafer and the Irish team, to my teammates and our staff, to the FFR [French rugby federation], and to all those who support us.
“This is not the image I want to give or the player I want to be. I accept the punishment, and I take responsibility.
“Rugby is a sport of respect, and this gesture has no place on a rugby field.”
France were losing 13-0 at the time of the offence.
Bite at Women’s World Cup? pic.twitter.com/szHXTyTids
— Simon Borchardt (@SimonBorchardt) September 14, 2025
Ireland captain Sam Monaghan said she raised the incident with the referee, but no action was taken at the time as, according to a World Rugby statement issued on Monday, the TMO was “unable to determine clear and obvious foul play”.
The appeal panel, working off a starting point of an 18-week suspension for biting, ruled that in light of Berthoumieu’s admission of guilt, her clean disciplinary record and her remorse and public apology, she was entitled to full mitigation of 50% – hence a nine-week ban.
© Agence France-Presse
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