France hooker Azam is sidelined until late December after he admitted kicking the Saracens and England captain during a Guinness Premiership game on September 27.

Azam was cited for the offence, and he appeared before a three-man Rugby Football Union disciplinary in Bristol yesterday.

The 34-year-old will miss several matches, including four Heineken Cup pool fixtures and six Premiership games.

Borthwick was detained overnight in a London eye hospital after the incident, although he is expected to play in Saracens' Amlin Challenge Cup appointment with Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon tomorrow week.

Gloucester issued a statement "in an effort to bring perspective to media headlines" that followed Azam's suspension.

The statement read: "Gloucester Rugby would like to highlight the following key findings from the (RFU) judgement published today:

"Olivier Azam's left foot was being 'grabbed and twisted' by an opponent; Olivier Azam deliberately kicked out in the direction of his left foot 'in an effort to free himself';  Olivier Azam was not 'aiming for Steve Borthwick's head or face'; the contact between Olivier Azam's boot and Steve Borthwick's head was acknowledged by the chairman of the panel to be accidental."

Azam is among four Gloucester players who have been suspended this season.

His fellow forward Adam Eustace received a three-week punishment for stamping on Saracens scrum-half Justin Marshall in the same game, while number eight Gareth Delve had a three-week ban reduced to two on appeal for striking London Irish flanker George Stowers.

And Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell last month served a one-week suspension for stamping during the opening Premiership weekend victory against Bath.

Like Azam and Eustace, Delve and Hazell were cited for their offences, although they are available for Friday night's Heineken Cup clash against Newport Gwent Dragons at Kingsholm.