March 5 – Another ‘quenelle’ controversy has hit European football with UEFA suspending Belgian player Omar Rahou for performing the so-called inverted Nazi salute during the European futsal championships in Antwerp.
Rahou, 21, scored the only goal for Belgium during their 6-1 defeat by Romania on January 28 and “several times” celebrated his goal with the ‘quenelle’, an allegedly anti-Semitic gesture which notoriously led to West Bromwich Albion’s former French international striker Nicolas Anelka being handed a five-match ban from the English FA.
UEFA’S Control and Disciplinary Body suspended Rahou for the next 10 UEFA national team competition matches and/or UEFA club competition matches – double the penalty imposed on Anelka.
A UEFA statement said that the gesture had “discriminatory connotations” and that, as a result, Rahou had breached its Disciplinary Regulations.
It was not clear whether the 21-year-old was influenced in any way by seeing Anelka perform the same sign. Rahou denied even knowing what a quenelle was.
UEFA said: “The fight against racism and other discriminatory conducts is a high priority. The European governing body has a zero-tolerance policy towards racism and discrimination on the pitch and in the stands.
“All forms of racist behaviour are considered serious offences against the disciplinary regulations and are punished with the most severe sanctions.”
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