Anelka facing a 5 match ban for a post goal gesture that may be antisemitic

[seafoid]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/22/nicolas-anelka-quenelle-drop-charges-fa-facebook

Nicolas Anelka has posted a call on his Facebook site for the Football Association to drop its charges over the quenelle, insisting he is neither racist nor antisemitic.
The message, which he put up in French, roughly translates as: "The English football federation hired an expert to rule on the meaning of my quenelle ... The latter concluded that my gesture had an antisemitic connotation, which led to my indictment by the FA.
"It would have been legitimate had the expert been French, living in France, and that could have an exact knowledge of my gesture.
"What better expert than Mr Cukierman, president of CRIF (Conseil Représentatif France Jewish Institutions), which explains it very clearly that my quenelle could not be considered to be antisemitic!

"He also explained in detail when this gesture could have such a connotation.
"I therefore ask the English federation to kindly remove the charges of which I'm accused. And I repeat, I am neither antisemitic nor racist."
On Tuesday night Anelka had tweeted a link to a video on the website of Le Figaro in which Cukierman said the quenelle was only antisiemitic if performed in front of a Jewish institution such as a synagogue.That came in the wake of the FA charges, which meant the West Brom striker could be facing a substantial ban after being charged with making a gesture that was "abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper".The FA took guidance an unnamed expert before concluding that Anelka's goal celebration at West Ham United on 28 December ought to be a matter for disciplinary action. Anelka has claimed his quenelle is an anti-establishment gesture in support of the French comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, who is banned from public appearances in France.
If the case is proved, a minimum five-game ban would automatically follow because of the new FA guidelines surrounding Rule E3, when the alleged offence is aggravated by "a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief".
Anelka has until 6pm on Thursday to respond to the charge, although there is a chance he might ask for an extension to that deadline.
Dieudonné has been prosecuted by the French government for insulting the memory of Holocaust victims, and Anelka's quenelle has already led to West Brom's shirt sponsors, Zoopla, co-owned by the Jewish businessman Alex Chesterman, announcing that it will not renew its £3m-a-year agreement this summer.
On Wednesday another two of West Brom's key sponsors said they were considering withdrawing their backing from the club.
Jack Wolfskin, an outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment specialist, and Holler watches, Albion's official timing partner, have confirmed they may follow the example taken by Zoopla.
A statement issued by Jack Wolfskin said the company was "following the developments closely, but has not taken a decision yet".
It continued: "The FA is waiting for a statement from Nicolas Anelka before coming to a final judgment.
"We consider the charges as serious and strongly disapprove of any gestures or statements which are meant to discriminate a single person, or a certain group of people.
We are now awaiting the judgment of the Football Association before taking further steps.

"Depending on what our partner West Brom says, which measures they take and considering our legal possibilities, we would consider ending our sponsorship as one option."

In its own statement, Holler said: "We currently have a contract until the end of the season with West Bromwich Albion.

"We will be reviewing the situation with regards to whether we extend that after this season."

The kit supplier Adidas, on the other hand, said it was firmly behind the club. A spokesperson said: "Adidas is wholly opposed to extremism of any kind and has made this clear to the club.
"However, this is a disciplinary matter for the club and we remain fully supportive of West Bromwich Albion in handling this matter in conjunction with the FA."We remain committed to West Bromwich Albion, and look forward to continuing our partnership."

[johnneycool]

The unnamed expert hired by the English FA is Joey Barton.

[deiseach]

The unnamed expert hired by the English FA is Joey Barton.

René for 'Allo 'Allo! wasn't available.

[AQMP]

The unnamed expert hired by the English FA is Joey Barton.

René for 'Allo 'Allo! wasn't available.

And Marcel Marceau is dead.

[deiseach]

And Marcel Marceau is dead.

How could they tell?

[Keyser soze]

Clown.

[AQMP]

And Marcel Marceau is dead.

How could they tell?

He was looking a bit red in the face, so they knew something was wrong.

[BennyCake]

I burnt a bagel earlier. Will the anti-Semitic police be after me now?

I'm sick of hearing about this anti-semitic crap. If someone says anything at all about a Jew, they're accused of it. The fact is, Jews and Jewish companies own a shitload of football clubs and companies who sponsor football clubs/Premier League etc. The FA have to be seen to be doing something about Anelka, otherwise the money men would feck off.

[Main Street]

I burnt a bagel earlier. Will the anti-Semitic police be after me now?

I'm sick of hearing about this anti-semitic crap. If someone says anything at all about a Jew, they're accused of it. The fact is, Jews and Jewish companies own a shitload of football clubs and companies who sponsor football clubs/Premier League etc. The FA have to be seen to be doing something about Anelka, otherwise the money men would feck off.

It isn't a crime yet for a civilian to perform the anti-semitic gesture, the quenelle. You can do it to your hearts content whenever you meet a jew, while passing a synagogue/jewish business or just to express your solidarity with other anti-semites in your acquaintance. There are no legal comebacks.
If anybody accuses you of being a racist, I'd advise you to just use the Anelka denial (the anti authoritarian angle), don't say 'so what and fck you too'.

[glens73]

I burnt a bagel earlier. Will the anti-Semitic police be after me now?

I'm sick of hearing about this anti-semitic crap. If someone says anything at all about a Jew, they're accused of it. The fact is, Jews and Jewish companies own a shitload of football clubs and companies who sponsor football clubs/Premier League etc. The FA have to be seen to be doing something about Anelka, otherwise the money men would feck off.

I'd agree with you in some regards that the anti-Semitic line is overplayed, but this comedian friend of Anelka's has a bad reputation as being anti-Semitic.

[give her dixie]

If only he were a Tory and had organised a Nazi themed party and dressed in full SS uniform complete with insignia........

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/01/21/aidan-burley-nazi-stag-party_n_4639481.html

[seafoid]

I burnt a bagel earlier. Will the anti-Semitic police be after me now?

I'm sick of hearing about this anti-semitic crap. If someone says anything at all about a Jew, they're accused of it. The fact is, Jews and Jewish companies own a shitload of football clubs and companies who sponsor football clubs/Premier League etc. The FA have to be seen to be doing something about Anelka, otherwise the money men would feck off.

I'd agree with you in some regards that the anti-Semitic line is overplayed, but this comedian friend of Anelka's has a bad reputation as being anti-Semitic.

I looked at that song that has been singled out.

http://www.the-savoisien.com/wawa-conspi/viewtopic.php?id=1322

Et dans ta télé /   On the telly
Que des déprépucés/ Only people who have been circumcised
Et des caimans/ And crocodiles
Des serpents volants/ flying snakes
Du soir au matin/ From night to morning
Dans tout les recoins / Every nook and cranny
Le CRIF, la LICRA, le MRAP/ Names of Zionist organisations
La HALDE, L'UEJF

I think it's about all the major Zionist organisations that on telly defend Israel's behavior or eulogise people like Ariel Sharon and how nobody is allowed to criticise them for fear of being labeled an anti-Semite. 

Anelka is probably WBA's best player. He's not white European so he probably wouldn't feel guilty about the Holocaust.
A lot of mixed race people in France are way down the economic food chain - I think it's quite complex. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieudonn%C3%A9_M'bala_M'bala
On 16 February 2005, he declared during a press conference in Algiers that the Central Council of French Jews CRIF (Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France) was a "mafia" that had "total control over French policy exercise", called the commemoration of the Holocaust "memorial pornography"[13] ("pornographie mémorielle"), and claimed that the "Zionists of the Centre National de la Cinématographie" which "control French cinema" prevented him from making a film about the slave trade.[42][43]

Maybe he is an anti-Semite but there's a lot of politics in the mix.

It's a bit of a nightmare for the FA.

[weareros]

Some claim the phrase "hip hip hooray" beloved of GAA captains on All-Ireland day has anti-semitic roots.

[OakleafCounty]

I heard it was anti zionist rather than anti semitic. Plenty of people think that both are the same but I certainly don't. In my opinion anti semitism is sectarianism against the Jewish faith, culture and people while anti zionism is a more political opinion against the colonialist policies of the Isreali government.

[deiseach]

Remember how Suarez asked for a three match ban for his bite and got it ramped up to ten matches entirely because he needed to learn the seriousness of his crime? No reference whatsoever to his previous record, it was all down to not appreciating how evil he had been. Well, now we have Anelka not only saying that he shouldn't get a ban but that they shouldn't even be investigating the incident! Has to be at least twenty matches.