MUSLIM SOCCER PLAYER ANELKA DENIES CLAIMS ANTI-SEMITIC GESTURE
London, 26 Shafar 1435/29 December 2013 (MINA) – The France Muslim soccer player Nicolas Anelka, 34-year-old denied that his celebration claimed to be an anti-semitism.
He marked his return to West Brom’s side with two goals, while Saido Berahino was also on target against the Hammers in the 3-3 draw at Upton Park, London on Saturday.
But Anelka was forced to explain his goal celebration after he seemingly performed the ‘quenelle’ salute, made famous by French comedian Dieudonne and linked to anti-Semitism in his homeland.
The quenelle is a gesture which involves touching the right upper arm with the left hand whilst keeping the right arm pointed downwards.
Anti-racism groups say it is regularly used to bait Jews, calling it a ‘reverse Nazi salute’, a modern Nazi salute and a quasi-nazi salute, whilst the majority of its exponents claim to use it as ‘anti-system’.
The Frenchman tried to defend himself on Twitter, suggesting he was paying tribute to Dieudonne, a personal friend.
“This gesture was just a special dedication to my comedian friend Dieudonné,” write Anelka who had embraced Islam since the age of 16 years.
The Football Association (FA) is to investigate WBA striker Nicolas Anelka after his controversial gesture against West Ham, Skysports quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor said: “This salute is merely a lesser known Nazi salute and we expect the same kind of punishment to be handed down by the authorities as if Anelka had made the infamous outstretched arm salute.”
Dieudonne, who has past convictions for making anti-Semitic remarks, insists the ‘quenelle’ is merely “an anti-establishment gesture.”
‘La quenelle’, is the subject of a fierce national debate in France that has reached the French interior ministry and stands accused of sparking a spate of attacks across Anelka’s homeland.
West Brom head coach Keith Downing played down claims about the celebration and said anything else being read in to the display was “absolute rubbish”.
“I’m aware of it but it has got nothing to do with what is being said,” he said.
“It is dedicated to a French comedian he knows very, very well. He uses it in his act and I think speculation can be stopped now, it is absolute rubbish really.
“He is totally unaware of what the problems were or the speculation that has been thrown around, he is totally surprised by it.” (T/P09/P04).
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
