France Punishes Villains of Its World Cup Fiasco

France attempted on Tuesday to draw a line under the national team’s disgraceful departure from the World Cup in June

writes Rob Hughes in the International Herald Tribune.

A disciplinary commission of the French Football Federation, or F.F.F., banned one player, the 31-year-old striker Nicolas Anelka for 18 matches, virtually ending his international playing career.

“We wanted Anelka’s sanction to set an example,” said Jean Mazzella, the disciplinary commission president.

The committee also suspended the team captain Patrice Evra for five games, the vice captain Franck Ribéry for three, and one other player, Jérémy Toulalan, for one.

No action was announced against Raymond Domenech, the team coach at the center of the drama. Jean-Pierre Escalettes had already resigned his role as the head of the federation after the heavy governmental demands for “heads to roll.”

…The whole controversy sparked a national debate that raised issues of immigration, racism and national pride.