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West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka calls on FA to DROP anti-semetic charge
WEST BROM striker Nicolas Anelka has asked for the FA to DROP their anti-semetic charge for his controversial 'quenelle' gesture.
Anelka defended the gesture he made when he scored against West Ham on December 28 and maintained it was not anti-Semitic, but instead anti-establishment.
The Frenchman was charged for making an improper gesture which was deemed to be "an aggravated breach in that it included "a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief".
He kept quiet on Twitter over the matter, however took to Facebook to make a plea for the charges to be dropped.
He wrote: "The English Football Association has hired an expert to decide the meaning of my quenelle ... The latter concluded that my gesture was an anti-Semitic connotation, which led to my indictment by the FA.
"It would have been legitimate for this expert is French, living in France, and may have an accurate knowledge of my actions.
"What better expert Mr. Cukierman, president of CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France), which explains very clearly that my dumpling could not be regarded as anti-Semitic.
"He also explained precisely and when the gesture could have such a connotation.
"I therefore ask the English Federation kindly removed the charges alleged against me. And I repeat, I am not anti-Semitic or racist".
Anelka's furore, which led to Zoopla withdrawing its sponsorship of the Baggies, faces a minimum five-match ban.