The French football star Nicolas Anelka has been banned for 18 matches for his part in France's revolt at the World Cup football finals in South Africa.
Anelka was sent home in disgrace for insulting coach Raymond Domenech during the halftime break of their losing match against Mexico, and at 31 years of age the ban effectively ends his international career.
The Chelsea player didn't attend last night's hearings in Paris.
World Cup captain Patrice Evra was banned for five matches for leading a boycott of a training session over Anelka's banishment, and Franck Ribery was banned for three games.
Laurent Blanc, who succeeded the controversial Domenech as coach after the World Cup, refused to pick any of the 23 players involved in the boycott for his first game in charge, a 2-1 defeat in Norway earlier this month.
