By . Laurie Whitwell . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:42 EST, 30 December 2013 . Should Nicolas Anelka be banned for goal celebration? Nicolas Anelka has vowed not to repeat his controversial 'quenelle' goal celebration after West Brom demanded he explain his actions at West Ham on Saturday. Anelka celebrated a goal by touching a shoulder with . one hand, keeping the other arm pointed downwards, in a gesture that is said to be an . inverted Nazi salute. The striker said after the match that the action was a tribute to his friend, French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, and insisted that he did not mean to cause any offence. A statement from West Brom on Monday read: 'Nicolas was asked to explain his goal celebration by caretaker head coach Keith Downing within minutes of the game finishing at West Ham. 'Nicolas said that he performed the gesture to dedicate his goal to a friend and vehemently denied having any intention to cause offence. 'Upon reporting for training this morning, Nicolas was asked by sporting and technical director Richard Garlick to give a full explanation about his goal celebration, during which he again strongly denied intending to cause offence. Investigation: The FA is continuing its investigation into the seriousness of Nicolas Anelka's goal celebration . Bittersweet: Anelka performed the salute after scoring the first of two goals in a 3-3 draw with West Ham . Read the match report from Upton Park here . 'The club fully acknowledge that . Nicolas' goal celebration has caused offence in some quarters and has . asked Nicolas not to perform the gesture again. Nicolas immediately . agreed to adhere to this request. 'The . club is aware that the FA is investigating the matter and has offered . its full cooperation. The club will continue to make its own enquiries - . a process which will remain confidential between the club and Nicolas. 'Nicolas . is eligible for matches whilst the FA carries out its investigation. Therefore Nicolas will remain under consideration for first team . selection whilst the FA and the club continue their enquiries.' Downing added: 'Nico has trained normally. He has been out there on Monday and trained like he did last week. 'He has made the comment in terms of the situation. He didn't mean to offend anyone. That's all we can say. 'It would have been nice to have talked about his performance but there is a distraction to it and we will have to find out on Tuesday how it all is.' When asked if the row had taken the shine off his spell in charge, Downing said: 'I would like to have concentrated on the football, it has been a real examination for the football club - including myself and the players. Friends: West Brom acting head coach Keith Downing says that the gesture was a dedication from Anelka (right) to his French comedian friend Dieudonne (left), which Anelka reiterated on Twitter . Doubling up: Anelka (left) is on the spot to score West Brom's second goal of the afternoon . Mamadou Sakho . The Liverpool defender was pictured twice doing the gesture, once with Dieudonne, lastmonth. But he later said he did not know what it meant and had been ‘tricked’. Yannick Sagbo . The Hull forward tweeted a picture of Anelka’s celebration and wrote: ‘Anelka is a legend i love him is a best french striker’ and included a message of support for Dieudonne. 'We have come through a very . difficult period after the shock news of the manager going and the . players have responded positively.' Anelka faces a minimum five-match ban from the FA. He is set to become the first player . sanctioned under rules brought in by English football’s governing body . in May to combat racist behaviour. The . European Jewish Congress have called for police involvement and for . Anelka to receive the same punishment that would be handed down for a . Nazi salute. On Sunday night the Metropolitan Police said . it takes all allegations of hate crime seriously and will consider . whether action is required. The . FA are . consulting anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out and Jewish community . groups. The new . guidelines mean that Anelka, if found guilty, can receive at least five . matches and it could be ‘significantly’ longer. No timescale has been . placed on when a decision will be reached. It is not a fast-track case and could take some time due to the sensitivities and seriousness of the allegations. Anelka, . 34, a practising Muslim, is said to be astonished at the controversy . and tweeted that he was only giving a ‘special dedication’ to his . comedian friend M’bala M’bala, who regularly uses the gesture . on stage. Dieudonne has convictions for spreading race hate, and last week interior minister Manuel Valls announced that ‘all legal means’ to ban Dieudonne from making public appearances were being considered, saying: ‘He attacks the  memory of Holocaust victims in an obvious and unbearable way.’ Controversial: This picture of Samir Nasri (left) apparently performing the 'quenelle' was on social media sites . Dieudonne and his supporters claim it is merely an anti-Zionist, anti-establishment signal and the 47-year-old has threatened to sue those suggesting otherwise. The gesture has gone viral on social media and two soldiers were sanctioned by the French army in September for performing it in uniform in front of a Paris synagogue. A Facebook page in support of the pair published a picture in November of Samir Nasri apparently performing the gesture outside Manchester City's training ground. The picture was republished on Twitter the day after Anelka's celebration at Upton Park but Sportsmail understands Nasri was unaware of the anti-Semitic or political connotations surrounding the gesture. Support: QPR defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto tweeted a message to Anelka after his celebration . He is believed to have performed the act because of its popularity among people in France. He is also believed to know nothing about the controversy surrounding it. And QPR defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto was on Twitter supporting Anelka after the West Ham game. The message is difficult to translate as it is in French text speak but it is close to 'I congratulate you on the beautiful Quenelle.' Anelka was also on Twitter on Sunday night to insist that his gesture had no religious or anti-Semitic connection. He wrote: ‘Meaning of quenelle: anti-system. I do not know what the word religion has to do with this story!’ Fooled: Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho (right) was pictured making the same gesture as Anelka but later claimed he was tricked into doing it . ‘The quenelle is a dedication to Dini. With regard to the ministers who give their own interpretations they are the ones who create the confusion and controversy without knowing what the gesture really means! I shall therefore ask the people not to be duped by the media. And of course, I am neither anti-Semitic nor racist.’ Dieudonne applauded Anelka in a post on his Facebook page. ‘Excellent live quenelle by Anelka,’ he wrote. ‘Thanks for the support.’ But Anelka’s actions were roundly criticised elsewhere. Valerie Fourneyron, the French sports minister, said: ‘Anelka’s gesture is a shocking, disgusting provocation. There is no place for anti-Semitism and incitement to hatred on the football pitch.’ Controversial: French humorist Dieudonne arriving for a trial at the Paris courthouse on December 13 . Chantal Jouanno, the former sports minister and a senator in Paris, said: ‘The quenelle is a Nazi gesture, clearly anti-Semitic and known as such. It is not worth arguing about interpretation. We must be clear about our values. He must be punished.’ European Jewish Congress president Dr Moshe Kantor wants Anelka dealt with as if he ‘had made the infamous outstretched arm salute’ of the Nazis. ‘It is sickening that such a well-known footballer would make such an abusive and hateful gesture in front of tens of thousands of spectators. We expect that the English Premier League officials as well as the police will give Anelka the appropriate punishment.’ Political protest: A man poses with a drawing showing a Jew character covering the mouth of an other character with a gag reading 'freedom of speech' during a protest in support of Dieudonne . Defiant: A group performs the 'quenelle' salutes in front of the theatre Dieudonne's performing at . A lengthy ban for Anelka may signal the end of his career, with rumours of his retirement already emerging earlier this season. Hull forward Yannick Sagbo tweeted a picture of Anelka’s celebration and called him a ‘legend’ while expressing support for Dieudonne. Other footballers have been pictured making the gesture, including Mamadou Sakho last month. But the Liverpool defender later said he had been tricked. When West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka scored the first of his two goals in Saturday's 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham, he celebrated by making a gesture largely unfamiliar to fans of English football. But the salute, known in France as 'la quenelle', is the subject of a fierce national debate that has reached the French interior ministry and stands accused of sparking a spate of attacks across Anelka's homeland. Here, we explore the origins of the controversial gesture and the motives of its self-proclaimed inventor, the stand-up comedian and political activist Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala: .
Anelka sparked controversy with celebration against West Ham .
Gesture is said to be an inverted Nazi salute .
Frenchman Anelka insists it was a dedication to a friend .
He faces a minimum five-game ban as the FA investigate .
By . Laurie Whitwell . PUBLISHED: . 10:29 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:42 EST, 30 December 2013 . Should Nicolas Anelka be banned for goal celebration? Nicolas Anelka has vowed not to repeat his controversial 'quenelle' goal celebration after West Brom demanded he explain his actions at West Ham on Saturday. Anelka celebrated a goal by touching a shoulder with . one hand, keeping the other arm pointed downwards, in a gesture that is said to be an . inverted Nazi salute. The striker said after the match that the action was a tribute to his friend, French comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, and insisted that he did not mean to cause any offence. A statement from West Brom on Monday read: 'Nicolas was asked to explain his goal celebration by caretaker head coach Keith Downing within minutes of the game finishing at West Ham. 'Nicolas said that he performed the gesture to dedicate his goal to a friend and vehemently denied having any intention to cause offence. 'Upon reporting for training this morning, Nicolas was asked by sporting and technical director Richard Garlick to give a full explanation about his goal celebration, during which he again strongly denied intending to cause offence. Investigation: The FA is continuing its investigation into the seriousness of Nicolas Anelka's goal celebration . Bittersweet: Anelka performed the salute after scoring the first of two goals in a 3-3 draw with West Ham . Read the match report from Upton Park here . 'The club fully acknowledge that . Nicolas' goal celebration has caused offence in some quarters and has . asked Nicolas not to perform the gesture again. Nicolas immediately . agreed to adhere to this request. 'The . club is aware that the FA is investigating the matter and has offered . its full cooperation. The club will continue to make its own enquiries - . a process which will remain confidential between the club and Nicolas. 'Nicolas . is eligible for matches whilst the FA carries out its investigation. Therefore Nicolas will remain under consideration for first team . selection whilst the FA and the club continue their enquiries.' Downing added: 'Nico has trained normally. He has been out there on Monday and trained like he did last week. 'He has made the comment in terms of the situation. He didn't mean to offend anyone. That's all we can say. 'It would have been nice to have talked about his performance but there is a distraction to it and we will have to find out on Tuesday how it all is.' When asked if the row had taken the shine off his spell in charge, Downing said: 'I would like to have concentrated on the football, it has been a real examination for the football club - including myself and the players. Friends: West Brom acting head coach Keith Downing says that the gesture was a dedication from Anelka (right) to his French comedian friend Dieudonne (left), which Anelka reiterated on Twitter . Doubling up: Anelka (left) is on the spot to score West Brom's second goal of the afternoon . Mamadou Sakho . The Liverpool defender was pictured twice doing the gesture, once with Dieudonne, lastmonth. But he later said he did not know what it meant and had been ‘tricked’. Yannick Sagbo . The Hull forward tweeted a picture of Anelka’s celebration and wrote: ‘Anelka is a legend i love him is a best french striker’ and included a message of support for Dieudonne. 'We have come through a very . difficult period after the shock news of the manager going and the . players have responded positively.' Anelka faces a minimum five-match ban from the FA. He is set to become the first player . sanctioned under rules brought in by English football’s governing body . in May to combat racist behaviour. The . European Jewish Congress have called for police involvement and for . Anelka to receive the same punishment that would be handed down for a . Nazi salute. On Sunday night the Metropolitan Police said . it takes all allegations of hate crime seriously and will consider . whether action is required. The . FA are . consulting anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out and Jewish community . groups. The new . guidelines mean that Anelka, if found guilty, can receive at least five . matches and it could be ‘significantly’ longer. No timescale has been . placed on when a decision will be reached. It is not a fast-track case and could take some time due to the sensitivities and seriousness of the allegations. Anelka, . 34, a practising Muslim, is said to be astonished at the controversy . and tweeted that he was only giving a ‘special dedication’ to his . comedian friend M’bala M’bala, who regularly uses the gesture . on stage. Dieudonne has convictions for spreading race hate, and last week interior minister Manuel Valls announced that ‘all legal means’ to ban Dieudonne from making public appearances were being considered, saying: ‘He attacks the  memory of Holocaust victims in an obvious and unbearable way.’ Controversial: This picture of Samir Nasri (left) apparently performing the 'quenelle' was on social media sites . Dieudonne and his supporters claim it is merely an anti-Zionist, anti-establishment signal and the 47-year-old has threatened to sue those suggesting otherwise. The gesture has gone viral on social media and two soldiers were sanctioned by the French army in September for performing it in uniform in front of a Paris synagogue. A Facebook page in support of the pair published a picture in November of Samir Nasri apparently performing the gesture outside Manchester City's training ground. The picture was republished on Twitter the day after Anelka's celebration at Upton Park but Sportsmail understands Nasri was unaware of the anti-Semitic or political connotations surrounding the gesture. Support: QPR defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto tweeted a message to Anelka after his celebration . He is believed to have performed the act because of its popularity among people in France. He is also believed to know nothing about the controversy surrounding it. And QPR defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto was on Twitter supporting Anelka after the West Ham game. The message is difficult to translate as it is in French text speak but it is close to 'I congratulate you on the beautiful Quenelle.' Anelka was also on Twitter on Sunday night to insist that his gesture had no religious or anti-Semitic connection. He wrote: ‘Meaning of quenelle: anti-system. I do not know what the word religion has to do with this story!’ Fooled: Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho (right) was pictured making the same gesture as Anelka but later claimed he was tricked into doing it . ‘The quenelle is a dedication to Dini. With regard to the ministers who give their own interpretations they are the ones who create the confusion and controversy without knowing what the gesture really means! I shall therefore ask the people not to be duped by the media. And of course, I am neither anti-Semitic nor racist.’ Dieudonne applauded Anelka in a post on his Facebook page. ‘Excellent live quenelle by Anelka,’ he wrote. ‘Thanks for the support.’ But Anelka’s actions were roundly criticised elsewhere. Valerie Fourneyron, the French sports minister, said: ‘Anelka’s gesture is a shocking, disgusting provocation. There is no place for anti-Semitism and incitement to hatred on the football pitch.’ Controversial: French humorist Dieudonne arriving for a trial at the Paris courthouse on December 13 . Chantal Jouanno, the former sports minister and a senator in Paris, said: ‘The quenelle is a Nazi gesture, clearly anti-Semitic and known as such. It is not worth arguing about interpretation. We must be clear about our values. He must be punished.’ European Jewish Congress president Dr Moshe Kantor wants Anelka dealt with as if he ‘had made the infamous outstretched arm salute’ of the Nazis. ‘It is sickening that such a well-known footballer would make such an abusive and hateful gesture in front of tens of thousands of spectators. We expect that the English Premier League officials as well as the police will give Anelka the appropriate punishment.’ Political protest: A man poses with a drawing showing a Jew character covering the mouth of an other character with a gag reading 'freedom of speech' during a protest in support of Dieudonne . Defiant: A group performs the 'quenelle' salutes in front of the theatre Dieudonne's performing at . A lengthy ban for Anelka may signal the end of his career, with rumours of his retirement already emerging earlier this season. Hull forward Yannick Sagbo tweeted a picture of Anelka’s celebration and called him a ‘legend’ while expressing support for Dieudonne. Other footballers have been pictured making the gesture, including Mamadou Sakho last month. But the Liverpool defender later said he had been tricked. When West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka scored the first of his two goals in Saturday's 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham, he celebrated by making a gesture largely unfamiliar to fans of English football. But the salute, known in France as 'la quenelle', is the subject of a fierce national debate that has reached the French interior ministry and stands accused of sparking a spate of attacks across Anelka's homeland. Here, we explore the origins of the controversial gesture and the motives of its self-proclaimed inventor, the stand-up comedian and political activist Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala: .
downwards, in a gesture that is said to be an . inverted Nazi salute. The striker said after the dedicate his goal to a friend and vehemently that the gesture was a dedication from Anelka positively.' Anelka faces a minimum five-match ban from the FA. He is set to become the first supporting Anelka after the West Ham game. The