Back in August, Frank Ribéry retired from international duty with the French national team. Ribéry, 31, missed this past World Cup due to a thigh injury and cited that he felt it was time for younger players to be given more prominent roles with the national team. Perhaps a little young but a player should be able to step down whenever he feels it is his time to walk away right?
Wrong. UEFA President Michael Platini has publicly stated that if Ribéry refuses an international call up for his national team he will be suspended 3 games from his club team Bayern Munich. This is the most insane thing ever! Yes FIFA has statutes that require a player to play for the national team should he be called however most nations tend to respect retirement requests. Platini has stated this statute and also the fact that the EURO 2016 competition is in France so Ribéry should want to play. It should be noted that Platini is also French so there is clearly some behind the scenes motivation for Platini pushing this issue with Ribéry.
So should Kevin Durant be suspended for 3 games for not playing for Team USA? Should Lebron? Forcing a player to play when he has officially retired from international duty is ridiculous. What happens when Ribéry is hurt in that international duty and is forced to miss weeks or months of club duty for Bayern? Expect quite the fatty law suit on your hands Mr. Platini.
In The Loope 
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