Nicolas Anelka defends goal celebration

Nicolas Anelka has taken to Twitter to defend his controversial goal celebration in a Premier League match yesterday, saying it had nothing to do with religion and was not racist.

West Brom striker Anelka, who made the "quenelle" gesture after scoring against West Ham, tweeted: "I am neither racist nor anti-Semitic."

He added: "The meaning of quenelle is anti-system. I do not know what religion has to do with this story.

"With regard to the ministers who give their own interpretations of my quenelle, they are the ones that create confusion and controversy without knowing what it really means. I ask people not to be duped by the media."

The Football Association are investigating the gesture, which is considered by some in France as being anti-Semitic.