World Cup bonus row is over – French federation

The French Football Federation (FFF) announced yesterday that the debate over the France squad’s forfeit of their World Cup bonuses was “definitively closed”.

“The office of the federal council, which met this Thursday, February 10 under the chairmanship of (FFF president) Fernand Duchaussoy, believes that the case of the 2010 World Cup bonuses is definitively closed,” read an FFF statement .

“Almost all the players present in South Africa last summer have officially confirmed in writing their renunciation of the money they were owed for their image rights.”

The FFF added that even the players who had not yet officially informed the FFF of their decision to give up the payments would be considered to have abandoned their bonuses. The money, believed to total around three million euros, will be distributed in the amateur game.

Last Sunday, Duchaussoy told AFP that Patrice Evra, William Gallas, Nicolas Anelka, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Marc Planus and Franck Ribery, were yet to formally forfeit their bonuses. Duchaussoy added, however, that the FFF had “agreements from everyone” and said the delay was “administrative”.

France’s players agreed to give up their bonuses after a disastrous World Cup in South Africa that saw them eliminated at the group phase following a strike by the players.

The squad refused to train in protest at the decision to send home Anelka after a clash with coach Raymond Domenech.