Home Premier League Arsenal FA charges Nicolas Anelka over gesture

FA charges Nicolas Anelka over gesture

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The striker made the sign, described as an inverted Nazi salute, after scoring against West Ham on 28 December.

West Brom sponsor Zoopla will end its agreement with the club at the end of the season because of the incident.

Anelka, who started Monday’s draw with Everton, has until 18:00 GMT on 23 January to respond to the charge.

In a statement, the FA said it had charged the 34-year-old former France international with making a gesture that was “abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper”.

It added it was “an aggravated breach in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief”.

The minimum suspension for the offence is five games but the FA can increase that if they see fit.

“If Nicolas Anelka is found guilty of a racial offence, then he deserves everything he gets,” said Alan Cleverley, secretary of the West Bromwich Albion Official Supporters Club.

“You can’t go on doing that. It sounds as if he did it on purpose because he knew the match was being shown live in France. So if the book gets thrown at him, I’ve got no sympathy whatsoever for him.”

The FA appointed an expert to help determine the outcome of its investigation into the gesture, which Anelka made after scoring in a 3-3 draw at Upton Park.

If the striker, who has also played for Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Bolton and Real Madrid, is suspended, it would reduce the number of attacking options for new Baggies head coach Pepe Mel, who has already seen Shane Long move to Hull City in a ÂŁ7m deal.

Anelka has promised not to repeat the gesture, which he said was made in support of controversial French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala.

The performer, a friend of Anelka’s, makes the sign at his shows, angering the French government, which has tried to ban him from using it.

Written by Steve Milne – Have your say below 🙂

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