FIFA watching France fallout for interference

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -FIFA is watching the fallout in France over the team's World Cup failure very closely and won't hesitate to suspend the 1998 champions if it discovers government interference.

France President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to personally investigate the debacle and met with Prime Minister Francois Fillon and Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot on Wednesday to discuss ways to reform French football.

FIFA statutes prohibit governments from interfering with the independence of FIFA members.

Iraq was suspended for interference in 2008 and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who is French, said Saturday that there's "no reason to have a different approach for a European country.''

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