By AVI CREDITOR
The red card he received in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semifinal against Lyon is the least worrisome of Franck Ribery's current problems.
The Bayern Munich and French midfielder is at the center of an underage-prostitution scandal that also involves international teammate Karim Benzema, and the two are in jeopardy of being left out of Raymond Domenech's squad for this summer's World Cup, according to the Associated Press.
Ribery has already been questioned and Benzema will be questioned about alleged encounters with an underage prostitute. No charges have been filed yet, but the prostitute, Zahia Dehar, testified that she had sexual relations with both players before she was 18 despite telling them otherwise. Prostitution is legal in France, but only if the prostitute is 18 or older.
French players Sidney Govou and Hatem Ben Afra are also being subjected to inquiries about the events.
If charged and convicted, the players could face up to three years in prison.
In other soccer news this Thursday:
PORTSMOUTH DENIED EUROPA LEAGUE SPOT
Despite reaching the FA Cup final, which would have been good enough to qualify the team for a spot in next year's Europa League, Portsmouth will miss out on European competition because of its financial situation.
The club did not file an application for a UEFA club license on time, and the Football Association and Premier League have ruled that they won't accept a late application. Portsmouth would have had to prove that it was in stable financial standing by the end of next month to meet UEFA's guidelines, according to the Associated Press.
The Premier League's seventh-place finisher will be guaranteed a spot in European competition. Liverpool is currently in seventh, five points clear of Everton with three matches to play.
HONDURAS FALLS TO VENEZUELA
Playing at home with the likes of Carlos Pavon and Amado Guevara in its lineup, Honduras fell to unheralded Venezuela 1-0 in an international friendly Wednesday night. Francisco Flores scored the goal for the visitors. For video highlights (choppy and not in English, but highlights nonetheless):
Making matters worse for Honduras, David Suazo is now doubtful for the World Cup with a leg injury.
WIGAN'S N'ZOGBIA ARRESTED
Wigan Athletic midfielder Charles N'Zogbia, who scored the game-winning goal in the Latics' 3-2 comeback victory over Arsenal last week, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly paying somebody else to take the written part of his driver's test.
He was arrested when he arrived to take the driving part of the exam, and he faces jail time if charged and convicted of fraud.
N'Zogbia has five goals and seven assists for Wigan this season.
RONALDO VOUCHES FOR PELLEGRINI
Though there might be several in the Real Madrid camp that would like to see a change on the team's sidelines, Cristiano Ronaldo is not one of them.
The star midfielder came to the defense of the current Madrid coach, saying that he hopes Pellegrini returns to the bench next season.
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Troubled by the French scandal? Do you think France has any shot to get past the group stage without (potentially) Ribery and Benzema? How do you feel about Portsmouth being denied a chance at Europe in spite of its awful season? Are you liking Honduras' chances to get out of Group H? Who do you think should be Real Madrid's coach?
Share your thoughts below.
lol. That’s good
You know it man
Isn’t Ribery married with a couple of kids at home?
Are you a Red Bull fan or a Dallas fan…. I can’t tell
If you are a Red Bull I must repeat your enthusiasm
Probably not because we consider them to be under the age of informed consent– no matter what they might think about the matter. And come on, I doubt a minor is just going to go into prostitution. There had to be reasons for her to misrepresent her age, which makes her misrepresentation totally irrelevant.
this wouldn’t be a good thread to post in unless there’s something like….
….TIM REAM!!! TIM FREAKING REEEEEAAM!!!
There. I got it out of my system.
Sign(s) o’ the times: They don’t, but (they think) it’s easy, discreet (hah), and cheaper for them than the paternity suits/ extortionary accusations (oops). . .
Disgusting behavior all around.
Girl has a busted face, otherwise shes iight lookin i guess
I would’a thought it was Mexico who was framing the French team…still the article Sergio found made me laugh when she says “The wannabe model – who is now 18 – has been probed by a judge… ” hasn’t she been probed enough?
Don’t you just hate underage French prostitutes that can’t keep their mouths shut.
Oh, wait. Nevermind.
how many professional athletes do you know personally??
I don’t really find the bad things Athletes do mind boggling. Most athletes are not really high on the list for intellectual prowess or fortitude. There is a reason, for the most part, they are professional athletes and not heart surgeons or astronauts.
People do things and break laws because of the risk involved or simply because they enjoy something that just happens to be illegal. Maybe Ribery and Benzema were trying to recreate long past times in france when there were no laws against getting with young girls.
Athletes are our “hereoes” in society because it is plain as day that our society values athletic ability very high. (or in some sports big and fat dudes)
Why do these guys have to pay for sex?
Im 17 and trust me I have never met someone my age that looked like that.
Yes, thank you, I’ve heard of it. My question is if there is ever any recourse against the liars that portray their age to be what it truly isn’t?
LOL!
Yeah, not a fan of the implants.
Your mom seems really up tight. My mom loves it when I bring home young French prostitutes that can tell fun stories about French soccer players during dinner.
How could anyone expect frank, with his jacked-up head, to say no?
Oh, the ignorance. The question is about age of consent. If she’s deemed too young to give consent to consensual sex, why should the money make difference?
Have you ever heard of “statutory rape”? Same idea — the age of the “victim” is the only relevant fact, not what the other person believed.
nice find. Hot, but she’s also so artificial looking. Not the type to bring home to mom!
Man…did anyone look this prostitute up? All I’m saying is, damn….
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/zahia-dehar/zahia-dehar-face-french-soccer-scandal-352271
Ives – Venezuela is a team to look out for in 2014. They were two points adrift of Uruguay, and that was with a bunch of youngsters.
I know your Peruvian (and I love Lima), but in re: to the Perv-Venezuela question…you have to take Venezuela based on current circumstances.
the 4th line of your comment shows how ignorant you are. even if you have a valid comment, putting it near a statement like that totally discredits you
Ok, fair enough.
In the US, if someone provides a fake id and an owner of a liquor license is ultimately charged, is there any recourse against the liar that protrayed his or her age to be what it truly wasn’t? Is there any recourse for the liquor license holder? I mean if someone demonstrates they are of age with a legit looking fake id, what can you do?
Just seems unfair. But such is life I guess.
i agree with Ronaldo. madrid need him to stay and stop changing everything up each year. won’t win anything if they do that. it was a hell of a goal to build an entirely new team and except to win everything. give it time, let the players get to know each other and the coach. fix the problems identified over the course of a season and hope the next one is an improvement. sacking the coach because he couldnt fulfill on the PRESIDENT’S idea that madrid could win the CL is not a good idea. pelligrini is a good coach. give him time. the truth is, madrid has still have a good la liga season when looking at the big picture. sure, they lost to the team that has been playing together for multiple years and is arguably one of the best teams to have played the game. no shame.
agreed in principle. but, it is a home game for Liverpool, so you would ordinarily expect them to at least manage a tie. won’t happen this time. they field a weak team and lay down.
Conspiracy theorist for real… on the contrary, they will probably lose because they aren’t half the team Chelsea has this year.
What are you, a conspiracy theorist or something?
lol Jim
Karma’s a bitch, France!
I think Seth’s point is that kids need to learn that just because these athletes have lots of money and fame to go along with extraordinary skill, it does not justify poor conduct. The fact that thse guys even get themselves in these situations is difficult to understand. Here they are, living “The Life of Riley,” and their willing to go throw it all away on an under-age prostitute, or whatever law it is they elect to break. It’s mind boggling…
That’s the most balanced group of them all. Normally, France would be favorites, but Domenech is such a bad coach that anything can happen.
That can still happen in the US. Think of it in the form of alcohol. Just cuz someone says they are over 21 doesn’t mean you can serve them and claim you didn’t know.
Probably because Ribery is paying her to say it as she’s already backed out of her first testament.
Why is someone his age going after a prostitute that young any way? Why risk it? You have a wife and could retire right now, spending 5 million a year and still be fine.
Ribery and the rest are a bunch of (insert word not allowed). No sympathy from me and I hope the reports that teams are pulling out of acquiring him this summer are true. They have to learn that the rules apply to them as well and well done by the French to actually pursue it.
Saying that, they all go to the WC any way.
she probably would be going to jail but it appears she had a bargining chip
please take this as advice of counsel, as i am a lawyer in Florida – which sucks, by the way). but, in the US, if a girl tells a man she is 20 and he has sex with her only to later learn she was 17, he is still guilty of statutory rape. If a bar owner serves a girl a drink n=because she has an ID that turns out to be fake, he can still be prosecuted for serving a minor. What people tell you about their age is of absolutely no consequence, only the facts matter. So, the next time you bring home a “20 year-old,” have a notary presnt to take a sworn statment and have a cop check her ID.
good news for Mexico, South Africa and Uruguay right? still not sure who is going to win out of that group..
This is not fair.. prostitute should go to jail for not following the rules.. similar to that dude from GGW it is not his fault the girl possesed the fake ID… she wanted to get dicked and now is complaining??? makes no sense.. they wont go to jail
Don’t prostitutes need to possess a valid ID to ‘show’ their age? LOL
Because the majority of them are.
Most wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire.
They probably won’t be.. but you know the media is going to jump on something like this.
Why do you want kids to be taught that athletes are whores???
Um, if the girl told them she was older than 18, how can the players be charged? Did I miss something?
there is a chance, since I expect Liverpool to lay down for Chelsea when they play each other. even though Liverpool needs to win to keep it’s European football hopes alive, they know that if they beat Chelsea, Manchester United will win another EPL crown and the current tie for total crowns will be broken in United’s favor. So, they will sacrifice Europe to keep the books balanced.
Do Ribery and N’Zogbia know each other? If so, maybe they can agree to be cellmates. Hell, maybe we can get Joey Barton to commit another heinous assault and just start a European soccer prison.
Pellegrini must stay! Real needs some consistency in the squad for once, we are having a wonderful season and will break the record for most points ever in La Liga, even if Barcelona will break the record as well.
Disappointing loss for Honduras, it’s the last time Guevara, Pavon, and Dani Turcios will play with the national team on Honduran soil as they will retire after the WC. Still think they’ve got a chance to get out of Group H with 4 pts.
Poor Portsmouth, they probably don’t deserve to be in the Europa League but it would have been good for their fans.
Dammit, despite their horrible form, Liverpool will somehow make it to Europe next season. Hopefully Everton can overtake them for 7th place.
As bad as this sounds, I’m glad these types of allegations are beginning to make headlines (i.e. Tiger Woods, Ashley Cole, John Terry, and now Frank Ribery). Hopefully it teaches kids that athletes aren’t always heroes; instead, they’re often whores.