Nicolas Anelka and West Bromwich Albion must apologise now over quenelle gesture

France striker must receive a long ban and West Brom, the player and the FA are facing a test of credibilityNicolas Anelka is far too intelligent an individual for us to take seriously his claim that the ‘reverse Nazi’ salute la quenelle is an innocent, inoffensive gesture. He deserves a suspension substantially beyond the five-game Football Association minimum.As ever with such controversies, the ramifications are widespread, not simply focusing on yet more lunacy by a high-profile footballer but also going to the very heart of a club’s relationship with a star employee and to the FA’s own credibility as a governing force under Greg Dyke.Club first. West Bromwich Albion’s sporting and technical director, Richard Garlick, held talks with Anelka yesterday to ascertain why he made such a “show of solidarity” with a friend, the comedian Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, whose association with anti-Semitism is notorious in France.Anelka “strongly denied intending to cause offence”, according to the club, has “agreed” with their request “not to perform the gesture again” and “will remain under consideration for first-team selection whilst the FA and club continue their enquiries”. So a player who triggered outrage continues to represent the club. West Brom concede Anelka’s quenelle “caused offence in some quarters”.Some? Many. West Brom’s weak statement suggests they haven not learnt from the mistakes made by Liverpool over Luis Suárez and Chelsea over John Terry in their racism storms. Some contrition would be a start. From Anelka too.