France, April 14 -- Nine were sentenced to one year in prison and fined 5,000 dirhams (€460), while six others received six-month sentences and fines of 2,000 dirhams (€180). The remaining three were given three months in jail and fined 1,000 dirhams (€90).

Those handed three-month sentences are eligible for release from next Saturday.

During the hearing, the defendants insisted they had done nothing wrong. They said they were forced onto the pitch by a surge in the crowd or were trying to escape spitting and objects being thrown.

They also denied protesting against a refereeing decision in second-half stoppage time - an incident that prompted the Senegal team to walk off the pitch in protest, delaying the game by 15 ...