Former Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards was banned from all coaching for three years by an independent European Rugby Cup disciplinary committee in Glasgow on Monday.

Richards resigned as Quins boss last week following the fall-out from the incident that saw back Tom Williams use fake blood during a European Cup quarter-final against eventual champions Leinster in April to create the appearance of a cut in his mouth in order to allow a substitute onto the field.

Williams was banned in July for 12 months by an initial ERC hearing which cleared ex England No 8 Richards, Harlequins club doctor Wendy Chapman and team physiotherapist Steph Brennan of wrongdoing.

But the verdicts on the three officials were challenged by ERC disciplinary officer Roger O'Connor while Williams appealed against his ban.

And at Monday's appeal hearing in Glasgow Williams's ban was reduced to four months while Richards went from being cleared to having the book thrown at him with a three-year ban.

Brennan, who now works for the Rugby Football Union, the English national governing body, was banned from European competition for two years but Chapman remained in the clear.

Harlequins saw their fine increased from 250,000 ($A428,669.41) to 300,000 ($A514,403.29) euros, to be paid immediately rather than as before when 50 percent of the initial fine was suspended by the ERC.

It had still to be announced whether London-based Harlequins would remain in this season's European Cup, northern hemisphere rugby union's premier club competition, or be expelled.

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