Benzema to be questioned in prostitution probe - source (Reuters)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

* Benzema to be heard in procuring probe, says military source * Player has perceived no notification, says agent

By Patrick Vignal

PARIS, Apr twenty-one (Reuters) - France striker Karim Benzemawill be questioned as a declare by military investigating aprostitution network, a military source tighten to a case pronounced onWednesday.

No date for a hearing has been set yet as well as investigatorswant to proceed as discreetly as possible, even consideringtravelling to Spain to listen to a Real Madrid player, a sourcetold Reuters.

Benzema’s representative pronounced a player had not been summoned.

“He has not perceived any notification,” a agent, KarimDjaziri, told Reuters.

Sources tighten to a investigation had progressing pronounced twoother France players, Franck Ribery as well as Sidney Govou, had beenheard as witnesses by police.

The French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed a Franceplayers had been heard as witnesses prior to observant in a briefstatement which they should be presumed trusting during this stage.

Ribery’s lawyer, Sophie Bottai issued a statement to contend hewas only questioned because he knew somebody tighten to a persontargeted in a inquiry.

Govou’s lawyer, Thierry Braillard, told Reuters onWednesday: “Sidney Govou has zero to do with all this. Someare suggesting he could be tighten to a procuring network though it’sabsolutely not true.”

French media suggested a players were clients of a nightclub in Paris’s posh Champs-Elysees district which allegedlyfeatured chaperon girls.

Govou’s counsel as well as Benzema’s representative both told Reuters thosetwo players had never been to which night club.

France, preparing for a World Cup in South Africa in June,could have ! done wit hout all this.

The former universe as well as European champions have faced criticismfor under-performing given reaching a final of a final WorldCup 4 years ago in Germany.

Ribery is France’s many popular player given ZinedineZidane, who retired after his infamous headbutt in a better byItaly upon penalties in a 2006 World Cup final.

(Additional stating by Nicolas Bertin as well as CatherineLagrange)

(Editing by Tony Jimenez as well as Pritha Sarkar; To query orcomment upon this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)



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