NEW YORK/BRUSSELS – The World Jewish Congress hailed English soccer’s ruling body, the Football Association, for suspending and fining West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka for an alleged anti-Semitic gesture he made during a game late last year. “This suspension and fine show without a doubt that anti-Semitic, racist or ethnically derogatory gestures will not be tolerated in European soccer,” said WJC President Ronald S. Lauder. “The use of racist or anti-Semitic gestures or chants by European soccer players and crowds is a serious problem and brings shame on the continent.”
The Football Association suspended Anelka for five games and fined him the equivalent of $133,400 for employing the gesture, the “quenelle,” which has been called a kind of reverse Nazi salute. It was made popular by French comic Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, who’s been convicted repeatedly in France of violating hate-speech laws. French authorities recently banned his shows because of their anti-Semitic content. The association cited the quenelle’s ethnic, racial or religious connotations, according to a Bloomberg report. Anelka can appeal.
About the World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 100 countries to governments, parliaments and international organizations.
