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Anelka defends 'Quenelle' gesture

Anelka was banned and fined for this gesture Credit: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport

Nicolas Anelka has come out to defend himself and deny he is anti-Semitic.

The French striker was handed a five-match ban and fined by the FA for the 'quenelle' goal celebration after scoring for West Bromwich Albion against West Ham on December 28.

The pose has been associated with religious intolerance in France.

The French comedian who invented the gesture, known as Dieudonne, has been convicted of anti-Semitic crimes seven times.

The commission which handed Anelka his punishment accepted there was no intent by the player to be anti-Semitic.

Anelka has told a french newspaper that the gesture had been 'badly interpreted' and was meant in support of his comedian friend.

The gesture shouldn't cause offence. It is condemnable in front of a synagogue, yes, just like all other bizarre signs that you could do in front of one, but that's all. In that case, to say it's a vulgar gesture, effectively, I agree with you.

There was no religious thought on my part. And I have never said that my gesture was against the system, simply that the gesture was. Again, I'm not racist, not anti-Semitic, and the quenelle was a simple tribute.