Will Smith has been banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years for his slap on presenter Chris Rock, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences announced on Friday after its Board of Governors held a meeting to discuss disciplinary sanctions on the embattled actor.

“The 94th Oscars were meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year; however, those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful behavior we saw Mr. Smith exhibit on stage,” the Academy said on Friday in a statement released after the meeting.

“During our telecast, we did not adequately address the situation in the room. For this, we are sorry. This was an opportunity for us to set an example for our guests, viewers and our Academy family around the world, and we fell short — unprepared for the unprecedented,” the statement continued.

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“Today, the Board of Governors convened a meeting to discuss how best to respond to Will Smith’s actions at the Oscars, in addition to accepting his resignation. The Board has decided, for a period of 10 years from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs, in person or virtually, including but not limited to the Academy Awards,” the Board of Governors said, announcing the ban on the Oscar-winning actor.

The Board of Governors of the Academy went on to express their “deep gratitude” to Chris Rock for maintaining composure after the untoward incident, and thanked “hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.”

The Academy further said that the action taken against Smith was “a step toward a larger goal of protecting the safety of our performers and guests, and restoring trust in the Academy.”

“We also hope this can begin a time of healing and restoration for all involved and impacted,” the statement concluded.

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Smith too released a statement, saying “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision”. 

A day after the incident during the Oscars 2022 ceremony, Smith had publicly apologised to Rock, and subsequently, announced his resignation from the Academy.

Given Smith’s actions, the ban from attending Academy events was perhaps the only disciplinary action possible against the actor, as his membership in the Academy is no longer active.