Samir Nasri and
Jeremy Menez have been handed suspensions from the
France national team after a disciplinary hearing into their conduct during
UEFA EURO 2012.
Manchester City midfielder Nasri has been banned for three matches after an expletive-laden rant at reporters following
France's quarter-final defeat by Spain, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed this afternoon.
ParisSt Germain winger Menez, who was not present at today's hearing, willsit out one game as punishment for confrontations with both Italianreferee Nicola Rizzoli and his own keeper Hugo Lloris during thelast-eight clash.
The other two players up in front of the commission today, Yann M'Vila and
Hatem Ben Arfa,escaped with warnings. Rennes midfielder M'Vila's charge also stemmedfrom the Spain match, when he was substituted and did not shake handswith either his replacement Olivier Giroud or coach LaurentBlanc. Newcastle playmaker Ben Arfa, meanwhile, was referred to thecommission over an alleged argument with Blanc in the dressing roomafter the group-stage defeat to Sweden.
As a result of the sanctions, Les Bleus' new coach Didier Deschampswill be without both Nasri and Menez for their 15 August friendlyagainst Uruguay. Nasri will also be sidelined for their first twoqualifying matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, away to Finland on 7September and at home to Belarus four days later.
The FFFannounced the decisions in a press release which added that the verdictswill be passed on to their executive committee, who have the right toretain the players' appearance bonuses in part or in full.
Theplayers reported to the FFF's headquarters in Paris today with theexception of Menez, who is on Paris St Germain's pre-season Americantour. The 25-year-old was represented by his lawyer Carlos AlbertoBrusa, who told
L'Equipe: "He (Menez) regrets what happened and wants to put this difficult time behind him. It was a youthful error.
"Heis not there, I am there to represent him and pass on his message. Itis a big responsibility, in front of the commission, to represent aplayer and to tell his story."
FFF discipline commission president Jean Mazzella told
L'Equipe:"The meeting was calm, the players gave explanations and showed a verygood attitude. They defended themselves but they answered all thequestions we asked them. They did not apologise, they showed regret."
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1670485.html
