Banned Benzema set to miss Euros

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, banned for his involvement in an alleged blackmail scandal, can not play in this year's European football championship, the French football federation said on Wednesday.

The french federation said in a statement that there was no legal obstacle to Benzema playing, but added that a player's ability to play in unison with the rest of the team and to be a good example were also factors to be taken into account in the decision of who can play in the championship.

Benzema was suspended indefinitely last December after being put under formal investigation by a judge for alleged blackmail over a sex video involving France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.