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Nicolas Anelka has been banned for 18 matches by the French Football Federation (FFF) for the fracas at the World Cup in South Africa. Team Captain Patrice Evra, vice captain Franck Ribery and Jeremy Toulalan have been banned for five, three and one match respectively. Eric Abidal escaped any sanctions.

The French squad was embroiled in controversy and shame during the World Cup this summer. Anelka had a verbal spat with coach Raymond Domenech at half time during the France - Mexico group game, which led to the player being sent home. This in turn led to a player mutiny and the squad refused to train before the last group game against South Africa. As the coaching staff tried to regain order and control in the dressing room, the players refused to negotiate and boycotted the entire proceedings.

The FFF launched an investigation into the whole incident that brought disgrace and humiliation to football in particular and French sport in general. The Disciplinary Committee met today and handed out sentences to all the players involved. Toulalan was deemed as the perpetrator behind the squad's boycott while Evra and Ribery were charged with not carrying out the duties expected of a Captain and Vice Captain respectively. Anelka's sentence harsh as it may seem, was seen as the only possible option considering his totally unacceptable behavior towards the national team manager.

Laurent Blanc previously banned the entire squad that went to the World Cup and the FFF withheld the World Cup advertising bonus that the players were entitled to. France will hope they can put the disgraceful incident behind them by drawing a line and looking forward to a brighter European Qualifying campaign.