Ghana defender Alexander Djiku has been suspended in France for flouting the code of conduct regarding players’ involvement in sports betting.
The Racing Strasbourg centre-back is among 76 players, coaches and directors who have been sanctioned by French football authorities.
The sanctions are in relation to breaches in the regulations on players’ involvement in sports betting, which happened in the 2020/21 season.
As a first-time offender, though, Djiku has been handed a one-match ban and will, therefore, miss Strasbourg’s game against PSG next week.
A statement from the LFP on the suspensions said: “These offences were committed even though, together, the LFP and the UNFP (the players’ union) have carried out awareness or information campaigns with the clubs on a daily basis.
“The Commission recalls that the actors of the competitions organized by the FFF or the LFP (in particular the players, coaches, managers of professional football clubs) have a general ban on betting, online or in physical networks, on all football competitions, whether domestic or foreign.”
Djiku was a key member of the Racing Strasbourg side that finished in sixth position in Ligue 1 last season and has already played 14 matches for the club this term.
Meanwhile, Djiku has also established himself as a mainstay in the Ghana national team since making his international debut in 2020.
He was ever-present as the Black Stars booked their place at the 2022 World Cup, and plated two matches in Qatar as the West Africans failed to make it out of Group H.
