London – Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto has been banned for three games for tweeting his support for Nicolas Anelka following the striker's contentious goal celebration during a Premier League match.
The English Football Association also fined the Cameroon international 50,000 pounds ($82,000), warned him about his future conduct and ordered him to complete a compulsory education course.
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 “I congratulate you on the beautiful quenelle.”
The FA says the comment was “abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper” and was a breach of FA rules.
Assou-Ekotto can appeal. – Sapa-AP