French senator demands Karim Benzema’s Ballon d’Or and French nationality to be revoked

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has accused Karim Benzema of having a relationship with Muslim terrorist group the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’. The allegations come in light of the murder of a teacher in France, which has been considered a terrorist attack. But, there is no definitive evidence to suggest the same yet. 

In response to Darmanin’s accusations, Valerie Boyer, senator for Les Republicains, Bouches-du-Rhone has asked for Benzema to be stripped of his French nationality and the Ballon d’or award he won just a year ago. 

The suggestion that Benzema was perhaps connected to the Muslim Brotherhood was made after the player made an X post about the bombings currently going on in Gaza. 

Karim Benzema accused of having connections to Muslim Brotherhood 

“If the statements of the Minister of the Interior are true, we must consider sanctions against Karim Benzema,” said Boyer in an official statement, responding to the findings by Darmanin. 

“An initially symbolic sanction would be to strip the Ballon d’Or from him. Finally, we must request the loss of nationality. We cannot accept that a dual French national, internationally known, can dishonor and even betray his country in this way.” 

Benzema’s layer Hugues Vigier denied any such connections to the organisation, and that the player’s X post was merely expressing sympathy for the victims. Vigier added that he plans to take legal action against Darmanin for his public comments about the former Real Madrid striker. 

The 35-year-old was born in France to Algerian parents, and currently plays in the Saudi Pro League for Al Ittihad after leaving Real Madrid this summer. He is among several Muslim players to have expressed their shock at the events in Palestine, with several parties opposing their stance.