Anelka Banned for 18 matches!

**Anth** · 17-08-2010, 04:38 PM

Nicolas Anelka suspended for 18 matches by France over World Cup revolt | Football | guardian.co.uk

Nicolas Anelka has been suspended for 18 games by the French Football Federation after the players' World Cup revolt.

The captain, Patrice Evra, was suspended for five matches for leading a boycott of a training session in South Africa in June in support of Anelka, who was banished from the squad for insulting the former coach Raymond Domenech.

The FFF's disciplinary commission, which met today, also gave a three-match ban to Franck Ribéry and a one-match suspension to Jérémy Toulalan. Eric Abidal, the fifth player summoned to the hearing, escaped any sanctions.

"The players now realise that they should never have done such a thing," the former France team director Jean-Louis Valentin, who testified during the hearings, said as he left the FFF building in the centre of Paris. "We have to acknowledge that and they deserve another chance … Let's close this chapter and start another one.

"As a lover and supporter of the France team, I think everyone deserves a second chance. I felt the players apologise, marked and scarred by what had happened. I think now they must know how to turn the page and move on," he added. "There was a very good dialogue that lasted long enough."

No other official or player talked to the media after the hearings, during which Domenech and the outgoing FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes also spoke.

Although the five players had been summoned by the FFF, Ribéry did not appear as his club Bayern Munich had refused to release him, while Anelka was nowhere to be seen.

Two days after boycotting the training session, the France side suffered a shock first-round exit from the World Cup with a 2-1 defeat by the hosts South Africa.

Laurent Blanc, who succeeded Domenech as coach after the World Cup, refused to pick any of the 23 players involved in the boycott for his first game in charge, a 2-1 defeat in Norway last week.

Anelka, at 31, has almost certainly seen his international career come to an end after 69 caps, which included being part of the victorious squad at Euro 2000.

A statement on the French Football Federation's official website read: "At a meeting in Paris this Tuesday, August 17, 2010, following the submission by the federal council dated August 6, 2010 relating to events occurring within the France team at the FIFA World Cup 2010, the federal commission for discipline of the FFF has taken the following decisions:

"Nicolas Anelka is sanctioned with an 18-game suspension from selection for the France team.

"A five-game suspension from selection for the France team has been issued to Patrice Evra.

"Franck Ribery will have to serve a three-game suspension.

"Jeremy Toulalan is punished with one-game suspension.

"The commission takes note of the explanation provided by Eric Abidal, who has not been sanctioned."

France start their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a home game against Belarus on 3 September.

It's LUL because I hate Anelka

Maybe something that should have been done to McGregor and Ferguson, instead of Burley just saying "you aint playin while im in charge"

**Keano_7** · 17-08-2010, 04:56 PM

I thought he already quit the national squad after the WC.

**jquinn** · 17-08-2010, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Keano_7

I thought he already quit the national squad after the WC.

He did, this is just the French Federation pretending to be tough. Notice how the two players that might actually play again for France get slaps on the wrist.