The property website Zoopla has announced that it will end its sponsorship of West Bromwich Albion at the end of the current season. Zoopla has been reviewing its position over the past few weeks in light of the actions of striker, Nicolas Anelka, who is alleged to have made a gesture known as the quenelle, which many consider to have antisemitic connotations, in the match against West Ham over the Christmas period. Zoopla said it had decided to focus its attention on other marketing activities after this season. In a statement it said: "Zoopla has worked closely with the club and the local community throughout its two-season sponsorship, having committed over £100,000 to the Albion Foundation and other local charities, and will continue to meet its obligations for the rest of the current season." Zoopla is owned by the Jewish businessman Alex Chesterman. It was reported last week that the company had said Anelka must be dropped for Monday's Premier League home game against Everton and had told the club it would want its name removed from the team's shirts immediately if he played. The Football Association has been looking into the gesture and has been working with an "appointed expert" as part of its investigation . The FA did not name the expert, who was appointed by its governance division to provide detailed knowledge and opinion about the gesture, which was made by the West Brom striker after scoring against West Ham on 28 December. The quenelle â which translates literally as "dumpling" in English â is a straight-arm salute with one arm pointing downwards and the other hand across the chest. It was brought to prominence by the French comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala, who has been prosecuted for antisemitism, and the salute has been described by opponents as an inverted Nazi salute. Dieudonne, who has been prosecuted by the French government for insulting the memory of Holocaust victims and holding antisemitic views, was recently banned from performing in Nantes. Anelka has agreed not to perform the celebration again after West Brom conceded the gesture had caused offence but the French striker has denied the salute had any antisemitic connotations. He said he made the gesture to show solidarity with his friend Dieudonne. http://www.theguardian.com/football...st-brom-sponsorship-anelka-gesture?CMP=twt_gu
Interesting one this. I wonder what the 'Offended on behalf of of others' Brigade on here will make of it? Probably just ignore it as its one of the 'Minority who mustn't be criticised at any cost' who is the culprit. Saggy wants to watch it.
Sportsman does something stupid that, in the views of that brand, hurts that brand. Sponsor drops them to make a point/preserve their "reputation" with a group. Nothing in life is free.
Wow. Nobody saw this coning did they ? Lol. Nobody over here knew what Anelka was doing anyway until some french twit mentioned it.
Almost every goal celebration is offensive. When Adam Johnson 'celebrated' his equaliser against Soton on Sat, he gave it the old 'Me , that was me, I scored that' routine indicating himself. Yeah the same Adam Johnson who was part of the same ****ty SAFC display earlier in the game that even had the home fans booing. Yesterday Samuel Eo'o ran aggressively over the CFC subs bench and bellowed threateningly at some of them or all of them or some member of the CFC management team till he had to be restrained. Utter ****s the lot of em.
[video=youtube;TOBja7ZjGws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOBja7ZjGws[/video] Quick question Aggro, humour me on this one. Can you understand why this one was offensive?
Can the FA extend Huddlestone's haircut celebration and make it compulsary for any footballer with a ponytail to get it cut off on scoring a goal.
[video=youtube;xfwFg7n92Ck]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfwFg7n92Ck[/video] Not the most offensive celebration ever but made memorable by the Reverend Motson's prissy tantrum after.
offensive əˈfɛnsɪv/ adjective adjective: offensive 1. causing someone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed. "he described the remarks as deeply offensive" 2. actively aggressive; attacking. "offensive operations against the insurgents" noun noun: offensive; plural noun: offensives 1. an attacking military campaign. "an impending military offensive against the guerrillas"
Er you do know Eto'o dedicated his goal to Lampard so ran to the bench to say "That's for you" and was then joined by teammates who hugged, not restrained, him?
What do you want me to say ffs How can pointing at your own chest or running up to thank a team mate cause anyone to feel resentful, upset, or annoyed? A gesture to the crowd, cameras or other players yes. But Christ alive, grow a pair.
Lampard becoming only one of a handful of Chelsea players to play 600 games or something like that. How disgusting that he showed passion for his captain.