The French football league governing body the LFP announced today that they had reached decisions on the sanctioning of a host of players who failed to comply with then regulations on sports betting.
The worst offenders have been categorised in what is known as “Group 4” and for some of them, they have been given a fine of £500 and forced to 2 hours of community service at the will of their club, effectively meaning they have to partake in two hours of unpaid work. Players that are in Group 4 made negative bets against their own clubs, for example betting on a draw, defeat or no goal scored. This is particularly the case for Johan Audel, formerly of Nantes, who now plies his trade at Standard Liege.
Others are punished with a suspended game sentence, which means that any other offences they commit across any field of French football will activate a ban lasting several games. Anthony Le Tallec, formerly of Valenciennes, as had this fate placed upon him as well as a €1500 fine.
Players in “Group 3” have received fines of between €500 and €1500 for betting over €500 on various French football games.
Players in “Group 2” bet less than €500 have been reprimanded. The investigation is not over, and some players, such as Jerome Rothen, have yet to be interviewed.
