Anelka's Quenelle

[mushroom25]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25827506
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25815670

The FA charge him for making the gesture, and zoopla withdraw the club's sponsorship, allegedly for the same reason. some jewish commentators interviewed tonight felt it would be right to treat anti semitic behavior the same as racist gestures would be.

fair point? or mountain being made of molehill?

[jomifl]

I think what is needed is an authoratative list of permissable arm and hand positions so that we can leave our homes without fear of arrest for some infringement of the ever growing rule of PC.

[Peter Pedant]

I think Anelka should have backed down - and like Ld Rennard said
I am a naughty boy - dunno what I was thinking (easy for a footballer)
harder for a lord

[jomifl]

He was only scratching his left armpit with his right hand, who amongst us can say they haven't done the same ? :o)

[whiskeryron]

Jewish commentators would be better employed in trying to point out that their government is guilty of grand theft in Palestine.

WR.

[jomifl]

WR, I think you have to say 'Israeli' instead of 'jewish' otherwise you will be accused of anti-semitism. :o)

[Gromit]

Zoopla is co-owned by someone who is jewish. Not an excuse for making a daft decission, so maybe it is really the baggies poor form that made them withdraw.

Seeing as no one had seen or heard of the gesture outside France, And even there only the jewish lobby consider it offensive. The TV audience were oblivious, as was the crowd and the officials. No one was offended excepted people who wanted to be offended.

There is a racist element at work here. Anelka is muslim and black which is why a witch hunt has been initiated.

[zebo]

I may be thick but what is the gesture he made and how is it construed to be racist? This is a dead honest enquiry, I've tried to find what a quenelle is in this context and I'm no nearer. Just don't shout at me, please!

[Sqad]

.\\ Anelka is muslim and black which is why a witch hunt has been initiated.\\

He is no young inexperienced footballer, overpayed and prone to do stupid things.

He is experienced 34 years of age, been around the football scene and knew exactly what he was doing.

Are the authorities serious about racism in football?
If so he needs a significant suspension.

[humbersloop]

I agree Sqad

[Mamyalynne]

Zebo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25550581



Personally I think it is puerile and he should have known better.

[choux]

zebo, scroll down for the video on this link. It is but a short video and was the basis of what the BBC news showed yesterday.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2543144/Nicolas-Anelka-charged-new-racial-discrimination-rules-quenelle-gesture.html

[Gromit]

// It is alleged that, in the 40th minute of the fixture, Anelka made a gesture which was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper, contrary to FA Rule E3[1].

It is further alleged that this is an aggravated breach, as defined in FA Rule E3[2], in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief. //

Read more at http://www.thefa.com/news/governance/2014/jan/nicolas-anelka-charged-210114#CPWgmMCPlEH6AptL.99

The gesture was not insulting, improper or indecent. No one at the ground were insulted. The vast majority of the TV audience did not see a nazis salute they saw a goal celebration. It made no reference to jews.

I can't see that he broke either of the FA rules. It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

[Mosaic]

Just a thought.....people from England visiting Germany cheerfully made Nazi salutes as an alternative to shaking hands, before we became official enemies of Germany and Nazism. Had they known what their benign ignorance would result in, they surely wouldn't have made this gesture.
This quenelle doesn't have any impact here, but the man knew what effect it would have in France, and it did - tout suite in fact.
So now we know too how this is associated with a campaign of frightfulness from one group aimed at another group, so wouldn't it be better if we agreed it's not allowed?

[Gromit]

Mosaic.

There is nothing in the FAs rules banning it. But now we know what it is, it should be outlawed.

WBA have told Anelka not to make the gesture again, and he has obeyed that request. If he did it again, he could be disciplined by club. All clubs should instruct their players not to make the gesture.

But to charge the player with something hat isn't covered in the rules yet seems unjust.

[Ken4155]

I read that the sponsors are withdrawing their support at the end of the season because the club refused to drop Anelka. Had they done so, Zoopla would, presumably, have been content to continue their sponsorship.

[sir.prize]

An interesting slant on the Quenelle story

http://ww.zimkasi.com/index-id-sports-zk-18770.html

[FredPuli43]

So why did this French citizen choose this inoffensive, non-racist, non-religious, non anti-semitic gesture ? There are all manner of celebratory gestures he could make, so why choose one in sympathy with a comedian who has been banned in theatres all over France because of anti-semitism in his act ? (Under our law racism includes displays of religious hatred)

[Mosaic]

Gromit: there used to be nothing in the FA condemning racist chanting.
I'm not sure I get your point: are you saying he wasn't being bad because we didn't know what he was doing?
Surely that is even worse - an exploitation of his host's goodwill.
Send the begger home.

[ludwig]

// The gesture was not insulting, improper or indecent //

Strange there's been so much fuss about it then.