Keep politics out of football, FIFA tells French

World football’s governing body FIFA have said that they would oppose any political interference in French football in the wake of their World Cup debacle.

Raymond Domenech’s squad were sent packing after losing 2-1 to South Africa bringing the curtain down on a dreadful campaign that saw a players’ strike, insults hurled at the coach and a volley of criticism from French politicians.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for explanations as to what went wrong and Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot has said that it was “inevitable” that French Football Federation chief Jean-Pierre Escalettes should stand down from his post.

Questioned in Johannesburg over events back in France, FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke warned against any politial interference.

“No-one can ask anybody to resign,” he said. “We want to avoid a difficult situation.

“I have given an information to the office of minister of sports on how the system is working. The system is in place. The FFF is under the umbrella of FIFA.”

“We are not worried, but we are paying attention.”