Karim Benzema suspended from France amid ongoing blackmail scandal

France has suspended Karim Benzema indefinitely for his involvement in a sex-tape blackmail scandal involving teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet said the punishment will stand until the case is resolved, according to The Guardian, which threatens Benzema's chances of participating in the 2016 European Championship in France.

"Today, Karim Benzema is no longer available for selection. It's a personal decision (of mine), I have informed (coach Didier) Deschamps," Le Graet told a press conference Thursday, with translation from The Mirror. "Benzema will not be available for selection in March, nor for Euro 2016 if the situation has not evolved."

Related: Benzema: France manager Deschamps 'supports me'

Le Graet added that he was reluctant to make such a decision, but was forced to do so under the current circumstances.

"The Benzema affair for me hurts, but I am sanctioning him because I am the president of the FFF. I would have liked to have had a face to face with him ... but the law does not permit me to do so."

The Real Madrid forward faces preliminary charges including complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act for his part in a scheme to extort money from Valbuena over a sex tape which features the Lyon midfielder.

Preliminary charges under French law may later be dropped, but indicate that magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime occurred and allow time for additional investigation.

Benzema admits he talked to Valbuena about the tape on behalf of "a childhood friend," but claims the situation was misunderstood and that he was trying to help.