Stade Francais scrum-half Julien Dupuy's season came to a premature end on Wednesday when his appeal against a 24-week suspension for gouging was only reduced by a week.

The 26-year-old - capped six times - had received the original punishment on December 18 after being found guilty of gouging Ulster's Irish international backrower Stephen Ferris in their European Cup clash on December 12.

European Rugby Cup, the organising body of the European Cup, confirmed the reduction of the suspension for Dupuy, who is in his first season at Stade having had an outstanding spell at English Premiership club Leicester.

"The initial decision was mistaken in terms of the length of the ban on a technicality," read a statement by the appeals committee.

Dupuy can recommence playing on May 27.

"The offence is at the top end in the level of seriousness for an offence of this type," the committee said.

Stade president Max Guazzini was furious at the decision but took solace from the fact that fault had been found with the initial judgement.

"This suspension is totally unjustified, the Irish player even originally testified that it wasn't a case of gouging," said Guazzini.

However, Guazzini said he intended to try and have it reduced still further at least in domestic terms through the French Rugby Federation (FFR) and the National Rugby League (LNR).

Should Guazzini fail with an appeal to the FFR and LNR it would mean that Dupuy would return just two days before the final of the Top 14 championship - something which Stade Francais are struggling to even make the play-offs for at the moment.

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