Zacharie Boucher removed from Madagascar squad after 2018 comments emerge | OneFootball

Madagascar rescinded Zacharie Boucher’s first international call-up on Saturday, days after naming him, following the resurfacing of comments he made in 2018.

The Troyes goalkeeper, 34, who backs up Australian Patrick Beach in Ligue 1, had been selected by Barea coach Corentin Martins only a few days earlier. The decision followed an interview he gave to L'Équipe in October 2018.

In that interview, Boucher said he was French rather than Malagasy, pointed to his passport, insisted he would refuse any approach and added that, administratively, he could not represent Madagascar.

He also said the France shirt was important to him, he would not wear another, and he had no intention of playing at the Africa Cup of Nations for anyone. Boucher represented France from under-16s to under-21s.

Those comments appear to have been missed when the call-up was made.

Source: Le Progres

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