Benaud upholds Gibbs ban

South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs will miss one Test match and two one-day internationals after ICC Code of Conduct Commissioner Richie Benaud on Thursday rejected his appeal against a ban imposed by match referee Chris Broad.

The decision means that Gibbs will not be eligible for his side's third Test against Pakistan starting in Cape Town on Friday and would also miss the first two ODIs of the five-match series, which will follow the Tests.

The original sanction was a ban of two Tests but the Code specifies that the ban should apply to the next matches in which the player is scheduled to play.

"I am satisfied that (match referee) Chris Broad handled those (procedural matters) in straightforward fashion, that no justice was denied, the player admitted using the words and unfortunately they went to the world. My view is that the sentence imposed by Mr Broad is correct and accordingly the appeal is dismissed," Benaud said.

Benaud's decision follows Wednesday's teleconference involving the player, his legal representative, Broad, a legal representative acting on his behalf and ICC In-House Lawyer Urvasi Naidoo, who was present in an administrative capacity.

Gibbs had appealed against the two-Test ban imposed on him by ICC after his racist remarks against some Pakistani fans were overheard through a stump microphone before the lunch interval on the fourth day of the first Test match at Centurion.