The FA has confirmed they will examine video footage of
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou’s ‘handcuff’ celebration against
Middlesbrough.
Kalou crossed his wrists and was joined in doing so by Ivory
Coast team-mate Didier Drogba following his two goals against
relegation-threatened Boro.
Chelsea swiftly denied there was any political motive behind
Kalou’s gesture and they stated he was not showing any support for
the recently freed Ivorian activist Antoine Assale Tiemoko. Kalou
has since endorsed the statement from his employers.
“People are always going to think there is something in what you
do, but it didn’t mean anything,” commented Kalou.
“I was just happy. I don’t even know the guy – it has nothing to
do with football. It wasn’t for him, I don’t know him so I don’t
know why I should celebrate for Him?”
Despite these catagoric denials it has not been enough to call
off the FA hounds.
“We are going to look at the relevant footage,” an FA spokesman
said.
Gestures and the FA do not go together and Ipswich’s David
Norris notably received a £5,000 fine last year for making a
gesture in support of jailed former Plymouth team mate Luke
McCormick.