While The FA appears clueless about how to handle Nicolas Anelka’s “quenelle” celebration, West Brom sponsor Zoopla have announced they are ending their sponsorship with the club at the end of the season.
The property website, co-owned by Jewish businessman Alex Chesterman, is the club’s main sponsor and they have announced that they will pull the plug on their sponsorship if Anelka continues to play.
A company statement released on Monday read:
“Zoopla has been reviewing its position over the past few weeks in light of the actions of striker, Nicolas Anelka, during the match against West Ham over the Christmas period and has decided to focus its attention on other marketing activities after this season.”
The controversy arose when Anelka made the gesture, described as an inverted Nazi salute, after scoring against West Ham, though the striker has denied the gesture was anti-Semitic.
Lawrence Hall, head of communications at Zoopla, added:
“Through our sponsorship of West Bromwich Albion we are pleased to have supported the local community and charities.
“In recent weeks, however, we have decided to re-evaluate this sponsorship and as a result we will focus our attention on other marketing activities from the end of the season.”
It astonishes me the FA, that was so quick to jump into the racial slurs issued by Luis Suarez and John Terry in recent years, have been so quiet on the Anelka situation. For the FA to dither on this for over three weeks is unbelievable.
