Ribery and Benzema face new prostitution related charges in France

By Kevin Koczwara

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything about Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema’s alleged solicitation of a prostitute when she was just 16 years old. In 2010 the news broke ahead of the World Cup in South Africa that the two players — two very important players for the French National Team —  had both had sexual relations with Zahia Dehar, who was 16 at the time of the transgression — she was 18 when she told press and police. The two players apparently didn’t know her age and Dehar backed them up on this in the reports.

We all seemed to have forgotten this news, but like most things involving professional athletes, stories never die. Now this one won’t go away. It looks like Ribery and Benzema — two players who took part in Euro2012 for France — are likely to face new charges related to their solicitation of sex.

France ready after miserable summer

Marseille striker Loic Remy is one of several younger players France has turned to after its disgraceful showing at the World Cup. (Photo Courtesy Fabio Dekker)

By Michael King

At the international level, 18 games is an eternity. With friendlies scattered sparingly throughout the soccer season and major tournaments only once every few years, opportunities for international success can be elusive.

And for the French Football Federation, that’s exactly the point.

The organization suspended maligned striker Nicolas Anelka, 31, for precisely that length Tuesday afternoon, effectively ending his international career.

The FFF also suspended former captain Patrice Evra for five games and handed down lesser bans to Franck Ribery and Jeremy Toulalan for their roles in the team’s off-the-field antics during June’s World Cup.

Battle at the Bernabéu For Champions League Glory

By Cameron Dickinson Courtesy of The National Game

So it all comes down to this; 90 minutes of football between Inter Milan of Serie A and Bayern Munich of the Bundesliga will decide which side is Europe’s best.

There will even be English involvement as well, but not in the way you may think. Premier League referee Howard Webb is the lucky/unlucky man (depending on your view) who has been selected to take charge of club football’s biggest game. His performance will be scrutinized, evaluated and taken apart piece by piece, rather him than me.