Paris: France on Thursday indefinitely suspended star striker Karim Benzema over criminal charges of involvement in a sex-tape blackmail attempt against teammate Mathieu Valbuena.


Karim Benzema. Pic/AFP

French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet said the suspension would include the 2016 European Championship, which starts in France in exactly six months, unless the case is settled beforehand. Le Graet said it was a "heartbreaking" decision to take the action against the 27-year-old Real Madrid star who is the French team's top scorer.