LA PAZ, ARGENTINA - Oriente Petrolero's Argentine defender Hector Gaitan has been suspended for five matches and fined US$15,000 for racially insulting a rival Bolivian player in a first division match.

The former Newell's Old Boys player was accused of the insults by Blooming captain Alejandro Gomez during the Santa Cruz derby two weeks ago, a Bolivian league disciplinary tribunal said on Wednesday.

Local media reported that Gaitan had since parted company with Oriente Petrolero. --REUTERS