SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Beleaguered French team depart for Bloemfontein

Record ID: 454783

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Beleaguered French team depart for Bloemfontein
  • Date: 22nd June 2010
  • Summary: GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 21, 2010) (REUTERS) FRENCH PLAYERS ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT IN TEAM BUS POLICE OUTSIDE THE BUS FRENCH COACH RAYMOND DOMENECH GETTING OFF THE BUS POLICE AT THE AIRPORT DOMENECH GOING INTO THE AIRPORT WITH HIS BAG VARIOUS OF PLAYERS GETTING OFF THE BUS AND GOING INTO THE AIRPORT PATRICE EVRA GETTING OFF THE BUS BEHIND PLAYER IN WOOLY HAT AND GOING INTO THE AIRPORT THIERRY HENRY IN SECURITY POLICE SECURITY WATCHING THE LUGGAGE VARIOUS OF LUGGAGE BEING TAKEN INTO AIRPORT PLANE WITH FRENCH TEAM ON BOARD PLANE IN SUNSET
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA7RO6MQI7XS29ABAK6SV8CB4SI
  • Story Text: The troubled France team left for Bloemfontein on Monday (June 21) ahead of their final Group A match against South Africa, a day after boycotting a session in support of expelled striker Nicolas Anelka.
    All the France players turned up at George airport glum faced after their final training before Tuesday's game in Bloemfontein. There were no fans there waiting for autographs.
    Evra and his team mates had refused to train on Sunday to protest against the French Football Federation (FFF)'s decision to kick Anelka out of the squad after he insulted coach Raymond Domenech at halftime of a 2-0 defeat by Mexico last week.
    Sunday's chaotic events also saw France team director Jean-Louis Valentin say he was resigning over what he called a scandal.
    The furore prompted President Nicolas Sarkozy to step in, asking sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to prolong her stay in South Africa to speak to Evra, Domenech and FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes on Monday.
    France, who have frustrated their fans with uninspired performances since their Euro 2008 flop and needed a controversial playoff win over Ireland to win a ticket to South Africa, are in great danger of making another early exit.
    Only if they score a big win against the hosts on Tuesday and Mexico and Uruguay do not draw at the same time will they stand a chance of reaching the knockout stages.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register