FFF defends Evra ban procedure

The French Football Federation (FFF) on Tuesday denied having unfairly targeted Patrice Evra, after the player said he was still awaiting an explanation for his five-match international ban.

“We’re not against him, we’re treating him as we’d treat anyone,” the FFF’s legal director, Jean Lapeyre, told AFP.

“Between the meeting of the (FFF appeals) committee and the moment when we formalise the decision and dispatch it, there’s a bit of time. You can’t do it in 24 or 48 hours.

“It’s a complex case. It’s obvious that we can’t rush it through in less than two weeks.”

The FFF appeals committee on September 9 upheld the five-match ban handed to Evra for his role as captain in the France squad’s refusal to train at the World Cup in South Africa.

The players boycotted an open training session in protest at the exclusion from the squad of Nicolas Anelka after he clashed with then coach Raymond Domenech.

“We’ve made good progress,” continued Lapeyre.

“I dare to hope that it could be finalised this week. That’s the aim. But it takes time. Every word is weighed.”

Speaking to Canal+ television on Sunday, Evra explained that his lawyer was yet to receive the reasons for the appeals committee’s decision.

“It’s difficult to make an appeal as I still don’t know why I’ve been punished,” said Evra, on the subject of a possible appeal to the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF).