Barthez given six-month suspension
 |  Despite his ban, Barthez will be available for France in September |
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PARIS, France -- Marseille and France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been given a six-month ban, three of which were suspended, for spitting at a referee.
The sanction, from the disciplinary committee of the French Football Federation, will take effect on Monday.
According to the FFF's rules, Barthez could have been banned for up to a year.
The 33-year-old, a member of the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning squads, said he intends to carry on training during his suspension.
"I knew I'd be sanctioned," said Barthez. "I'll prepare for the next season with Marseille and get ready for the national team because my goal is to play in the (2006) World Cup."
Barthez will miss five games, the last four matches of the Ligue 1 season, and France's next friendly against Hungary on May 31.
He will however be able to play for Marseille in Nantes on Saturday.
Barthez will also be available for France's friendly against Argentina in Paris on August 17 and their World Cup qualifiers against Faroe Islands on September 3, Ireland on September 7, Switzerland on October 8 and Cyprus on October 12.
The goalkeeper was reported for spitting at Moroccan referee Abdellah El Achiri during a friendly between Wydad Casablanca and Marseille in February.
A brawl erupted on the pitch after Marseille defender Frederic Dehu was sent off and the match was abandoned with 10 minutes left.
Barthez, who had been substituted, got off the bench and confronted the referee.
Dehu, like Barthez, appeared before the FFF's disciplinary committee on Thursday and was cleared of all charges on Friday.
French sports minister Jean-Francois Lamour said he was surprised at the leniency of Barthez's ban.
"I'm surprised because I think that respect for the referee is of paramount importance," he said.
Bernard Saules, president of the National Union of French Referees, said he was "very angry".
"These people have got a real nerve," he said. "It's simply ridiculous. They could as well have suspended him for a week plus five years, suspended of course."
In a statement, the FFF said: "The disciplinary committee took the following decisions: player Fabien Barthez has been suspended for six months, including three suspended months, Olympique Marseille have been fined 1,000 euros."
Marseille have 10 days to appeal. Sources close to the club said they would probably not appeal.
Barthez has won 75 caps since his debut against Australia in May 1994.
He announced last month that he had decided to retire at the end of next season after becoming increasingly disillusioned with football.
