Nicolas Anelka poised to fight FA charge despite backtracking from Jewish spokesman
Albion's Nicolas Anelka was expected to launch a legal fight against his FA misconduct charge today – despite the Jewish spokesman he used in his defence back-tracking.
The Frenchman must inform the FA of his intentions by 6pm after they charged him over his controversial 'quenelle' goal celebration.
While his agent refused to confirm last night whether the 34-year-old would admit or contest the charge, the player laid the ground for a legal battle by issuing a statement again denying the gesture was anti-Semitic.
But Roger Cukierman, president of CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France), who Anelka referred to in his statement, has now insisted he does not want to be used as an 'expert' in the case.
Cukierman had claimed in the media that the quenelle was only anti-Semitic if performed at a synagogue or Jewish monument, with Anelka tweeting a link to an interview in support of his case.
But Cukierman last night told a Paris-based radio station: "The gesture conceived and realised by Dieudonne (Anelka's friend and a French comedian) is anti-Semitic and the sympathy of Nicolas Anelka (for Dieudonne) is clearly suspect.
"I have no desire to be an expert in this matter."
In his statement, Anelka called on the FA to drop the charge, which carries a ban of between five and 10 matches.
