Euro 2012: French quartet face punishment

Published on 04/07/2012 00:00

The French Football Federation have opened disciplinary proceedings against four members of France’s Euro 2012 squad.

Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa, Jeremy Menez and Yann M’Vila will be called before the FFF’s disciplinary committee for a variety of alleged offences committed during the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, which France exited in the quarter-finals.

Manchester City midfielder Nasri fell foul of the FFF following his heated argument with a journalist in the wake of Les Bleus’ last-eight loss to Spain, while Newcastle forward Ben Arfa was allegedly embroiled in a dressing-room altercation following the 2-0 defeat to Sweden in France’s final Group D outing.

Paris St Germain midfielder Menez is to be investigated after allegedly gesturing at goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, while Rennes midfielder M’Vila upset the FFF when he blanked coach Laurent Blanc following his substitution against Spain.

FFF president Noel Le Graet said yesterday that no members of the 23-man squad would receive their bonus, saying: “This money is blocked, which may be redistributed, perhaps not.” Speaking about the prospect of handing punishments to the quartet called before the disciplinary committee, Le Graet added: “I don’t like to punish by nature and I don’t like to deliver a hasty opinion, but our players should be punished or sanctioned. I don’t want them thinking they are victims. They are not.”

Meanwhile, Le Graet said it could be another week before the FFF name their successor to former national team coach Blanc, who announced at the weekend he had decided against renewing his contract after a disappointing Euro 2012 campaign.