Anelka, Evra hit with France bans

by setanta.com staff , 17 August 2010

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has been banned for 18 international games by the French Football Federation.


The France front man was one of five internationals to be handed a punishment following the internal problems that dogged Les Bleus' wretched World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Anelka was at the forefront of the controversy, the Chelsea man sent home after being subbed at half-time in the 2-0 group stages defeat to Mexico when he is said to have insulted then coach Raymond Domenech.

Former captain Patrice Evra, meanwhile, was in Paris on Tuesday to receive a five-match ban from the FFF for his role in the mutinous scenes in South Africa. The Manchester United man did not play in the last group game against the host nation after the team had gone on strike from training following Anelka's exclusion.

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery has been banned for three games for the same reason, with Lyon's Jeremy Toulalan suspended for one, though Barcelona defender Eric Abidal escaped any sanctions.

The FFF had banned all 23 members of the World Cup squad for last week's friendly with Norway, a 2-1 defeat. Coach Laurent Blanc could now recall the majority of those players, aside from those banned or retired as the nation tries to put a shameful year behind them, though Anelka had withdrawn his services from France regardless of his ban.

Watch GAA games live on PPV
Pos
Team P W D L +/- PTS
1.
Man City
38
28
5
5
64
89
2.
Man Utd
38
28
5
5
56
89
3.
Arsenal
38
21
7
10
25
70
4.
Tottenham
38
20
9
9
25
69
5.
Newcastle
38
19
8
11
5
65
6.
Chelsea
38
18
10
10
19
64
7.
Everton
38
15
11
12
10
56
8.
Liverpool
38
14
10
14
7
52
9.
Fulham
38
14
10
14
-3
52
10.
West Brom
38
13
8
17
-7
47
11.
Swansea
38
12
11
15
-7
47
12.
Norwich
38
12
11
15
-14
47
13.
Sunderland
38
11
12
15
-1
45
14.
Stoke
38
11
12
15
-17
45
15.
Wigan
38
11
10
17
-20
43
16.
Aston Villa
38
7
17
14
-16
38
17.
QPR
38
10
7
21
-23
37
18.
Bolton
38
10
6
22
-31
36
19.
Blackburn
38
8
7
23
-30
31
20.
Wolverhampton
38
5
10
23
-43
25
Watch Online
Edit Web Part Contents