Benoit Assou-Ekotto gets three-game ban over 'quenelle' post
Last updated on .From the section Football
Tottenham full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto has been banned for three matches after being found guilty of improper conduct in relation to the Nicolas Anelka "quenelle" incident.
Assou-Ekotto, 30, has also been ordered to pay a £50,000 fine by the Football Association for making a comment on social media.
Anelka was banned for five games and fined £80,000 for making the "quenelle" gesture, which is associated with anti-Semitism, after scoring for West Brom at West Ham in December.
Assou-Ekotto used Twitter to congratulate Anelka on his use of the gesture, which its proponents claim is merely anti-establishment.
| What is a 'quenelle' gesture? |
|---|
| Popularised by French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, who says it is an anti-establishment symbol |
| The gesture involves touching or gripping your shoulder with one hand while holding the palm of your other hand outstretched and pointing to the ground |
| Many view the gesture as anti-Semitic, reminiscent of the Nazi salute |
| People have been photographed making the sign at synagogues and Holocaust sites |
"I have always said that when I tweeted Nicholas Anelka I was congratulating him on an anti-establishment gesture and not on an anti-Semitic gesture," the Cameroon international said.
"I am pleased that the panel has found this to be true and I want to assure Spurs fans that I would never knowingly behave in a racist or anti-Semitic manner."
The defender previously denied wrongdoing and said he was "disappointed" to face disciplinary action over his message.
Anelka claimed his use of the 'quenelle' was a show of support to his friend, the comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, but the FA ruled that the gesture was "abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper", and the striker was later sacked by West Brom.
Hull City striker Yannick Sagbo, another player who took to social media in support of Anelka, received a £15,000 fine in April.