French revolution quelled

21 June 2010 12:38

The France squad returned to training on Monday morning, a day after refusing to take part in a routine session in protest at the decision to send home Nicolas Anelka.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has now got involved, asking his sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to meet with the key people in the dispute.

She told TF1 television: "We are taking note of the indignation of the French people and calling for dignity and responsibility. It's not yet the right time to take disciplinary action but that time will come very soon."

Les Bleus' World Cup descended into farce on Sunday when, just hours after the French Football Federation ruled Anelka would be excluded from the squad for a foul-mouthed outburst against coach Raymond Domenech at half-time of the 2-0 defeat to Mexico, the remaining players refused to train.

That prompted a furious exchange between fitness coach Robert Duverne and captain Patrice Evra while team director Jean-Louis Valentin stormed off in tears before announcing his resignation.

Source: PA