Benzema restraining order lifted, opening door to Euros
An appeals tribunal in Versailles has come to a decision on Benzema and the Valbuena blackmail case.
According to France's Le Figaro, the Versailles appeals tribunal decided on Friday to uphold the lifting of the restraining order on Karim Benzema, opening the door to his potential appearance at Euro 2016. The restraining order prevented the Real Madrid striker from contacting or associating with Valbuena.
Benzema was charged with 'complicity to commit conspiracy' in the extortion case involving his French teammate Mathieu Valbuena and a sex tape.
The Real Madrid striker will still have to await his fate as the charges still stand; this latest ruling has lifted the restraining order on him, meaning that he is now permitted to contact Mathieu Valbuena.
That opens the door to the possibility of both forming part of France's squad that will contest Euro 2016 on French soil. The French Football Federation will now have to decide on whether to call Benzema up to the squad or not.
The lifting of the restraining order is a partial one and Benzema is still prevented from making contact with anyone else implicated in the case.