Tottenham Hotspur defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto earned himself a three game suspension Friday. On his Twitter account Assou-Ekotto showed approval of another footballer’s offensive goal celebration that consisted of an Anti-Semitic gesture.
“Nicolas Anelka celebrated scoring a goal for West Bromwich Albion against West Ham on Dec. 28 by performing a gesture which is known in France as a quenelle and is regarded as anti-Semitic. Assou-Ekotto posted in French on Twitter after the match: ”I congratulate you on the beautiful quenelle.”
Both players were born in France.
The FA said the comment was ”abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper” and was a breach of FA rules.”
Assou-Ekotto was also fined £50,000 and ordered to complete a course that emphasizes cultural sensitivity training. He was on loan at Queens Park Rangers last season, and he’s not a part of the Tottenham Hotspur Premier League squad. The North London side issued a statement at the time of Assou-Ekotto’s tweet, saying that the player accepted that his comments were ill-advised.
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