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PARIS: Nicolas Anelka will not contest a court decision to rule against him in his legal action with French sport daily L'Equipe over their reporting of his World Cup outburst, his agent said on Friday.
Anelka had claimed 150,000 euros ($214,000) in damages from L'Equipe over their coverage of his altercation with coach Raymond Domenech at half-time of France's 2-0 Group A defeat by Mexico in South Africa on June 17 last year.
The following day, L'Equipe printed an explosive front page that accused Anelka of using abusive language with Domenech.
The Chelsea striker was immediately substituted before being sent home by the French Football Federation (FFF), prompting the rest of the squad to boycott an open training session in protest at his exclusion.
Anelka was subsequently banned for 18 matches by the FFF, effectively ending his international career.
L'Equipe were cleared of libel by a court in Paris on July 1, with the two journalists who had written the report – Raphael Raymond and Damien Degorre – judged to have just been doing their job.
“Nicolas Anelka is satisfied with the decision,” read a statement from the player's agent sent to AFP on Thursday.
“He has never denied that he openly criticised the system of play at half-time of the France-Mexico game but recalls that he never wanted to insult Raymond Domenech and now wishes to definitely close this case.”
