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French Football Federation (FFF) managing director Jean-Louis Valentin has resigned as the relationship between the organisation and the country’s World Cup squad plummeted to new depths.

Valentin, who is also France’s team director, quit after the players refused to train in protest at the expulsion of striker Nicolas Anelka for a dressing room bust up with coach Raymond Domenech at half-time of the 2-0 defeat by Mexico at the end of last week.

Captain Patrice Evra was involved in a heated row with fitness coach Robert Duverne in full view of television cameras on Sunday (June 20) after informing him of the players’ decision to boycott training.

"They don't want to train, it's a scandal," Valentin said. "It's a scandal for French people, for the youngsters who came here to watch them train. I'm resigning, I'm leaving the federation. I have nothing more to do here. I'm going back to Paris."

The training ground incident came a day after Evra told reporters a "traitor" within the team had leaked Anelka's alleged insults to the press. Valentin denied being to “traitor” to whom Evra was referring.

The FFF responded angrily to the players’ decision not to train. A statement said: "The French delegation and its president Jean-Pierre Escalettes have noted with dismay the refusal of the French players to participate in training today [Sunday].

"This action is an unacceptable consequence of the eviction of Nicolas Anelka which they feel is injustice.

"Contrary to what the players said, this sanction was taken following a long conversation with the person in the presence of the captain.

"The FFF, speaking through its president, apologise to the country for the unacceptable conduct of the players that are representing our country.

"A federal council shall be convened immediately on the completion of the French team's campaign to draw all the conclusions of the crisis that has been created."

However, the players added in their own statement: "All players without exception want to declare their opposition to FFF’s decision to exclude Nicolas Anelka.”

They said they were angered the Anelka-Domenech row had become public and criticised the FFF, "which at no time tried to protect the squad".

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has even stepped in to try to defuse the row, asking sports minister Roselyne Bachelot to extend her stay in South Africa into this week.

She will meet Evra, Domenech and Escalettes on Monday (June 21) and told TFI television: "He (Sarkozy), like me, is taking note of the indignation of the French people and calling for dignity and responsibility.

Asked whether there would be penalties for the fiasco, she added: "It's not yet the right time to take disciplinary action but that time will come very soon."