Anelka loses key ally in ‘quenelle’ saga

Nicolas Anelka has called on the FA to drop its charge against him over his ‘quenelle’ goal celebration — but the prospects of him citing a prominent French Jew in his defence suffered a setback yesterday.

West Brom frontman Anelka is facing a minimum five-match ban, unless he can prove his case, after being charged by the FA with performing an alleged anti-Semitic gesture during his club’s match against West Ham on December 28. The striker insists he is neither anti-Semitic nor racist and believed he had the backing of a Jewish community leader in the battle to clear his name.

However, Roger Cukierman, the president of CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France), who initially appeared to have sided with the 34-year-old footballer, later said he considered Anelka’s behaviour “clearly suspect”.