text: SOCCER - NEUCHATEL TO APPEAL AGAINST CYPRIEN 'S NINE-MONTH BAN . GENEVA 1996-08-27 Swiss league leaders Neuchatel Xamax said on Tuesday they would appeal against a nine-month ban imposed on French international defender Jean-Pierre Cyprien for his part in a post-match brawl . Cyprien , also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ( $ 8,400 ) , traded punches with St Gallen 's Brazilian player Claudio Moura after a match on Saturday . When officials and coaching staff tried to intervene , Cyprien launched a flying kick at Moura , but only succeeded in kneeing St Gallen coach Roger Hegi in the stomach . Moura , who appeared to have elbowed Cyprien in the final minutes of the 3-0 win by Neuchatel , was suspended for seven matches and fined 1,000 francs ( $ 840 ) by the Swiss league disciplinary committee . Club president Gilbert Facchinetti said he was astonished the committee had arrived at its decision so quickly and vowed the club would appeal . Neuchatel coach Gilbert Gress described the incident as " shocking " , but said Moura was also to blame . " Moura physically and verbally provoked Cyprien during the match . The referee could not have seen it or he would have punished him , " Gress said . " During the scuffle , Moura threw the first punch . Tomorrow , if someone punches me , I would not know how to react . " Cyprien , who won his one French cap against Italy in February 1994 , cannot play in Switzerland or elsewhere until May next year .