A red card issued against Romania lock Adrian Motoc last weekend was canceled on Thursday and he was cleared to play in the Rugby World Cup.
Motoc was sent off in the sixth minute against Italy in San Benedetto del Tronto last Saturday for a head-on-head collision with Italy captain Michele Lamaro in a ruck. Reduced to 14 men, Romania lost 57-7.
At his judicial hearing, the panel agreed the act was red-card worthy but there was a mitigating factor.
“Had it not been for the sudden and significant movements of the Italy number 7 — who was removing himself from the ruck to rejoin the defensive line — the player would not have made contact with the head of the Italy 7,” the panel wrote.
This mitigating factor prompted the panel to cancel the red card and free Motoc to play.
Romania opens its Rugby World Cup campaign against Ireland on Sept. 9 in Bordeaux.
