• On-loan Everton striker defends Anelka over gesture
• Video interview since removed from Everton’s website
• FA charge leaves Anelka facing minimum five-match ban

Everton’s on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku has said Nicolas Anelka should not be banned over the quenelle gesture he made during West Bromwich Albion’s match against West Ham on 28 December last year.

Lukaku, speaking in a video interview which has since been removed from Everton’s website, publicly backed the West Brom forward, saying: “He’s been my idol since I was a kid. He still is.

“I think he shouldn’t be banned for that. He was supporting a stand-up comedian in France. We don’t have to make such a big deal about it. He’s an adult. I hope he doesn’t get suspended because he’s a player people want to see play on the pitch.”

Anelka’s Football Association charge of making a gesture allegedly aggravated by a reference to “ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief” carries a minimum suspension of five games, though that could be increased. The player has until 6pm on 23 January 2014 to respond.

Anelka made the gesture during a goal celebration against West Ham United last month. The quenelle has antisemitic connotations and has been described by some as an inverted Nazi salute, although Anelka has insisted he was merely showing solidarity with the French comedian Dieudonné M’Bala M’Bala, who brought the gesture to prominence, and that it was an anti-establishment gesture lacking any racist intent.

The FA brought in an expert to help decide on whether charges should be brought and has spent several weeks working on the case due to its sensitivity.

A three-man independent regulatory commission will now be appointed to deal with the case – either to decide on the sanction if Anelka admits the charge or to hold a disciplinary hearing if he denies it.

Football’s antidiscrimination group Kick It Out, which has expressed frustration over the length of time taken to decide on the case, called for a swift conclusion.

A statement said: “The FA has previously demonstrated its commitment to taking effective and swift action to deal with all forms of abusive conduct in football, and has spent a longer time than desirable in order to give careful consideration to the allegations made in this case.

“Kick It Out awaits Anelka’s response to the charge before making any further comment. The campaign hopes that this matter can now be quickly concluded.”

• Nicolas Anelka
• West Bromwich Albion
• Everton
• Race issues

theguardian.com