Benoit Paire excluded from France team for 'unacceptable' behaviour

09 August 2016 10:53

Benoit Paire has been excluded from the French tennis team in Rio for poor behaviour.

The decision was announced by the French tennis federation's technical director Arnaud Di Pasquale on national TV just as Paire was bowing out of the singles with a second-round loss to Fabio Fognini.

Paire, a 27-year-old ranked 32nd, appears to have been told to leave the athletes' village but was not barred from competing.

Di Pasquale did not give details of specific incidents but said in comments reported by L'Equipe: "It is unacceptable. It's a lack of respect vis-a-vis his peers, and staff.

"I think we have already given him a lot. There are rules to follow when one is in the France team. The decision was taken in agreement with Jean Gachassin, president of the federation.

"I asked him to pack his bags, to do what he wants to do outside if desired. This is intolerable, unacceptable. He was warned several times, it was coming to him.

"He should not have been allowed to come if he is not able to respect the rules."

Paire shrugged off his exclusion, saying on ouest-france.fr: " I'm happy to leave.

"I have a different view of what is happening at the Olympics. I keep my opinions to myself. The federation, they are non-existent, so it is not very serious.

"I'm just glad to have the person I wanted that supports me. It was the most important thing to me. The rest I do not care. Let them be there or not, it does not matter. I blame the federation for a lot of things."

Source: PA