France's sports minister Patrick Kanner has cast doubt over the
suitability of having Karim Benzema return to the national team.
French sports minister Patrick Kanner has cast doubt over the suitability of having Karim Benzema return to the national team.
Benzema
has been charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail and
participating in a criminal conspiracy in relation to a sex-tape scandal
involving France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
The
Real Madrid striker, who denies any wrongdoing, had been prevented from
speaking with Valbuena, but a court in France lifted that sanction last
week, opening up the prospect of him returning to Didier Deschamps'
set-up.
But Kanner, though he accepts the decision
is down to Deschamps and French Football Federation president Noel Le
Graet, suggested the striker should not be recalled.
He
told RTL: "I think that, when you sign the code of ethics to be a
member of the France team, you have to respect it. I think that, today,
those conditions are not met in the matter of Karim Benzema.
"At
the same time, I will respect the sporting position and that of the
federation [Noel Le Graet]. The coach wants to secure the services of
the best French players, that's his position."
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