France make example of Anelka with 18-game ban

Nicolas Anelka's France career is almost certainly over after he was yesterday hit with a massive 18-match suspension by the French Football Federation. ban

Chelsea striker Anelka, 31, was disciplined for his part in the internal strife which contributed to Les Bleus' early exit from the World Cup in South Africa.

Patrice Evra has been handed a five-match ban, Franck Ribery a three-match suspension, Jeremy Toulalan a one-game ban, while Eric Abidal and the remaining members of the 23-man squad have escaped further punishment, having already missed the first match of Laurent Blanc's reign as coach.

Evra, Abidal, Anelka, Ribery and Toulalan were earlier this month called to yesterday's French Football Federation hearing to discuss the behaviour of the national team during the tournament in South Africa, when in-fighting led to them being eliminated in the group stage.

Les Bleus' World Cup campaign descended into farce after the squad went on strike after Anelka, capped 69 times, was sent home from South Africa after an altercation with then coach Raymond Domenech. France finished bottom of their group after scoring just one goal and earning one point in three matches.

The fall-out from the team's lamentable performance led to new coach Blanc suspending all 23 members of the World Cup squad from his selection from the friendly against Norway in Oslo earlier this month, while the FFF also withheld bonuses owed to the players.

"We wanted Anelka's sanction to set an example," said disciplinary commission president Jean Mazzella after the sanctions were announced.

None of the players talked to the media after the hearing, during which Domenech and outgoing FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes also spoke.