West Bromwich Albion's Nicolas Anelka controls the ball during their English Premier League soccer match against Everton at The Hawthorns in West Bromwich, central England January 20, 2014. REUTERS/Darren Staples
LONDON (Reuters) - Nicolas Anelka was banned because the 'quenelle' gesture he used to celebrate a goal is "strongly associated with anti-Semitic sentiments and anti-Zionist politics" according to the independent regulatory commission that ruled against him.
The commission published their 35-page written report into the case on Thursday and took the view that while there was no proof West Bromwich Albion's 34-year-old French striker was "expressing or promoting" anti-Semitism when he used the inverted Nazi salute, the gesture was in itself offensive enough to warrant his five-match ban.
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