PARIS -- The French prime minister has said Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema "has no place" in the France team at the European Championship in the wake of a blackmail scandal.
Earlier this month, Benzema, 27, was charged with conspiracy to blackmail as part of an investigation into an attempt to extort funds from Mathieu Valbuena, a France international teammate, using a sex tape.
Benzema is one of France's key players as they get ready to host the Euro 2016 tournament, but Prime Minister Manuel Valls does not believe the former Lyon forward should play a part next summer.
"A great athlete should be exemplary," Valls told French radio Europe 1. "If he is not, he has no place within the France team."
The investigation, centring on wiretap evidence, started when Valbuena took legal action after being contacted by a man claiming to possess an incriminating sex tape.
Benzema will speak about the case in public for the first time in an interview which will be broadcast on the main evening news programme on French TV channel TF1 on Wednesday.
Benzema denies any wrongdoing but his arguments were undermined last week when Valbuena spoke directly about Benzema's attempts to pressure him in an interview with Le Monde newspaper.
"If a minister was handed preliminary charges, he would no longer be part of the government," Valls said.
The French Football Federation has also joined the case as plaintiff.
"There are so many kids, so many youngsters in our suburbs that relate to great athletes," Valls said.
"They wear the blue jersey, the colours of France, which are so important in these moments."
Preliminary charges under French law mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed, and allow time for further investigation.