December 30 – Nazi salute or innocent gesture? Whichever it was, former French international Nicolas Anelka has caused uproar in both sporting and political circles for his unusual celebration after the first of his two goals for West Bromwich Albion during last weekend’s 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham.
French Sports Minister Valerie Fourneyron has denounced Anelka’s celebration as “disgusting” but the player – backed by his manager – has fiercely defended himself, saying he is anything but an anti-Semite.
The much-travelled Anelka, who has often courted controversy, seems at the very least to be investigated by English football authorities after performing what is known in France as a quenelle, described as a reverse Nazi salute.
Anelka’s action, which took place in a televised game flashed around the world, was apparently a tribute to the French comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, one of his friends. Dieudonné is a controversial figure in France, derided in some circles for his far-right views.
The quenelle is Dieudonné’s signature gesture, although he argues it is anti-establishment rather than specifically anti-Semitic.
Fourneyron nevertheless fumed through her Twitter account: “Anelka’s gesture is a shocking provocation, disgusting. There’s no place for antisemitism and incitement to hatred on the football field.”
Dr Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, said it was “sickening that such a well-known footballer would make such an abusive and hateful gesture in front of tens of thousands of spectators”.
“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. This salute was created by a well-known extreme anti-semite who has displayed his hatred of Jews, mocked the Holocaust and Jewish suffering.”
Using his own Twitter account, Anelka insisted his gesture, with the left hand held across the shoulder of the right arm pointing downwards, was simply “a special dedication to my comedian friend, Dieudonne.
“Of course, I am neither racist nor anti-Semitic. The meaning of quenelle is anti-system. I do not know what religion has to do with this story.”
West Brom’s caretaker manager Keith Downing added: “He dedicated it to a French comedian that he knows very well. It’s a gesture the comic uses in his act. It has got nothing to do with what is being said. That is absolute rubbish.”
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