Hull to 'vigorously defend' Sagbo quenelle charge

Hull City will vigourously defend an FA charge against their striker Yannick Sagbo for tweeting his support for Nicolas Anelka's controversial "quenelle" gesture.

Anelka was given a five-match ban for the quenelle salute because of its anti-Semitic connotations. Sagbo has until next Tuesday to respond to the FA charge of improper conduct, and Hull manager Steve Bruce says they will seek a personal hearing:

Hull will "vigorously defend" an improper conduct charge against striker Yannick Sagbo for showing support for Nicolas Anelka's quenelle goal celebration on social media.

The club fear that any ban for their Ivory Coast striker could rule him out of next week's FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United at Wembley.

Hull manager Steve Bruce issued an apology if Sagbo's "actions have offended anybody" but insisted the player did not mean to do so.

Anelka was given a five-match ban for the quenelle salute due its anti-Semitic connotations. Sagbo posted a picture on Twitter of the celebration alongside the word: "Legend".

He also referred to Anelka as a role model of France's urban youth. Hull have until Tuesday to respond to the FA charge and said they will seek a personal hearing.

Bruce told a news conference ahead of Saturday's match against Swansea: "It's something that we have been made aware of for weeks, it's something that they have took their time over, the FA, to study it.

"We are going to defend him vigorously because we don't think Yannick has tried to offend anybody.

"Whether his actions have offended anybody, then on behalf of the club I will apologise.

"We could lose him and especially with semi-finals and finals coming up and [Shane] Long and [Nikica] Jelavic not available then of course it would be a big blow to us."

Bruce said it was another warning about the dangers of social media.

He added: "It's a reminder to every player about social media. I don't think there is any callousness at all in what Yannick has done but obviously the FA has seen it that he has done enough to offend people.

"As I have said repeatedly to the players with social media the way it is you have got to be careful because it is out there for the rest of the world to see.

"I don't quite understand Twitter and hashtags and really don't want to but we have warned the players and it is an issue that we have all got and unfortunately it looks as though Yannick has a case to answer.

"He has a bit of a language problem, I'm not quite sure why it has offended people but we have to answer the question and we have people involved to defend him."

QPR's Benoit Assou-Ekotto has also been charged for tweeting his support of Anelka.

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri and Liverpool defender Mamadou Sahko escaped with a warning for being photographed performing the quenelle prior to Anelka using it in West Brom's 3-3 draw at West Ham on December 28.