Nicolas Anelka has confirmed he will contest the Football Association's charge against the quenelle gesture he made.
The West Brom striker could receive a five-match ban for his reaction, which has anti-Semitic connotations, after scoring in the 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham last month.
"The English FA have employed an expert to rule on the significance of my quenelle. He has concluded that my gesture had an anti-Semitic connotation, which had led to me being charged by the FA.
"It would have been legitimate if this expert had been French, living in France and with an exact understanding of my gesture.
"What better expert than Mr Cukierman, head of Jewish organisation CRIF (Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions), who explains very clearly that my quenelle could not be considered anti-Semitic.
"He also explains precisely when this gesture could have such a connotation."
"I ask the FA to lift the charges that have been held against me. And I repeat, I am neither anti-Semitic nor racist."
Two other of West Brom's sponsors are considering their relationships with the club after Zoopla announced they would not renew their partnership at the end of the season.
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Zoopla To End West Brom Sponsorship Over Nicolas Anelka Controversy
Notably, West Brom have not released a statement regarding Anelka's defence. The FA is yet to receive a formal response.
Anelka has been charged with making a improper gesture and that it was an aggravated breach, in that it included "a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief."
The FA said in a statement: "It is alleged that, in the 40th minute of the fixture, Anelka made a gesture which was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper, contrary to FA Rule E3[1].
"It is further alleged that this is an aggravated breach, as defined in FA Rule E3[2], in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief."
Anelka vs West Ham
Anelka has agreed not to perform the salute again after the club accepted it had caused some offence but there has been no apology from the player.
He insists the quenelle was a gesture in support of his friend, the controversial French comedian Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala, who has been prosecuted for anti-Semitism.