The french football federation,as a result of todays hearing have decided to suspend anelka for 18 matches for france.(skysports breaking news)

I thought he had retired anyway?

The whole wc squad was dropped. So there wasn't really any coming back for him

Yeah this makes for a cute story but it was pretty obvious he wasn't going to play for them again, wasn't it?

Evra only got 5, which is ridiculous seeing as he was supposed to be the captain, and he represented the entire squad.

great news for chelsea...nico will surely retire from int. football now and save his best for us

18 matches in international football is a lot. he will obviously retire now.

f**k em - JT should follow suit

thought nico had retied from int football after the wc

Just read that Anelka was called in front of the French Football Federation to talk about his slight "argument" at the world cup. They slapped him with an 18 game ban.

If there was any doubt about his international future before, surely its over.

Should be great for us, no risk of injury during the breaks!

I don't like negative press surrounding our players, but it's great to have one less player to worry about during international-breaks.

Anelka retired anyway

As others have said he had already announced his retirement which is why the french federation would have handed down such an extreme punishment, trying to send a clear message to everyone else whilst knowing that Anelka is not going to kick up a fuss about this.

f**k em - JT should follow suit

Exactly!!!

Anelka, cult hero

Strange how you can get an 18 match suspension for telling the truth, just think if he'd lied.

To be honest, I really don't believe that Anelka gives a **** about this. He has retired anyways. I also heard that Essien was taking a break from Int matches as well.

you're not wrong. from Sky:

Anelka - France ban is a joke

Chelsea striker laughs off international suspension

Nicolas Anelka claimed he was 'dying with laughter' on Wednesday after being handed an 18-match ban by the French Football Federation.

The suspension, which is likely to spell the end of the Chelsea striker's international career, was a result of his part in the internal conflict which contributed to France's early exit from the World Cup this summer.

Captain Patrice Evra landed a five-match ban, Franck Ribery a three-match suspension and Jeremy Toulalan a one-game ban, while Eric Abidal and the rest of the 23-man squad avoided further reprimand having already missed the first match under new coach Laurent Blanc.

Anelka's punishment will almost certainly see the 31-year-old finish his international career on 69 caps, but the former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward shrugged off the ruling, reserving his anger for the FFF's disciplinary commission.

"For me, this whole commission thing is a nonsense, a charade not to lose face," Anelka told France-Soir.

"The so-called punishment has no relevance whatsoever because, for me, the French national team was an issue which ended on 19th June when I was kicked out of the training centre at Knysna.

"This is just to entertain the public, to turn the page because Laurent Blanc needs to be able to work in peace.

"These people are clowns. I am dying with laughter.

LINK

Haha Anelka really don't give a sh*t it seems, love to see that.

I'd love to actually see Anelka 'dying with laughter'

Anelka's the man!

He's had no problems in Chelsea all his time here and he's played for Grant, LFS, Hiddink and now Ancelotti. He's played second fiddle here most of the time and still loves to play for us. Coach tells him to play as a winger Nico plays and does his best. I'm very happy we have him.

How can FFF f*ck things so bad. I mean look at the players they can choose from!!

I'd love to actually see Anelka 'dying with laughter'

Whys that - what have you got against Nic

it would be interesting to see him laugh,he rarely smiles :/

what a legend though,good to see he has the guts to tell the truth...

I wished he had've just let this blow over quietly, but its hard to argue with him. What is the point of suspending someone 18 games when theyre 31? Its already such a slap in the face, retirement is a must whatever their age.

The fact that they are handing out bans to the captain and vice captain too just makes me think they are looking for a scapegoat. And if the whole team was behind the note Domenech read, why is just Toulalan getting a ban?

Its like the union got what they wanted (Domenech fired) but the factory bosses have to round up the leaders and make a show of punishing them anyway.

Edited August 18, 201015 yr by TheWestwayWonder

Whys that - what have you got against Nic

Nothing against him, just thought it'd be fun to see...

He has gone up in my estimations, but it's obvious the FFF knew they had to make an example so they target an already retired player!

You can tell they are trying to make an example of him, which is why they handed out such ridiculously low bans to any of the players that were continuing. And the who "one match they missed under Blanc" is such an easy way out.....wait, we're talking about the french here.

even though he had already retired,i think it was harsh considering he helped them win not only the world cup,but the european championship as well.