Legal lift for Benzema

PARIS - France's highest court has ruled that an investigation of Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema in a blackmail case, linked to a sex tape involving his France teammate Mathieu Valbuena, was unfairly carried out by prosecutors.

Benzema faces preliminary charges of conspiracy and complicity in an attempted blackmail scheme to extort money from ex-Lyon midfielder Valbuena, now with Turkish side Fenerbahce, in exchange for the footage.

Benzema denies any wrongdoing.