LONDON (AP):

Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto was banned for three games yesterday for tweeting his support for Nicolas Anelka following the striker's contentious goal celebration during a Premier League match last season.

The English Football Association also fined the Cameroon international 50,000 pounds, warned him about his future conduct and ordered him to complete a compulsory education course.

Anelka celebrated scoring a goal for West Bromwich Albion against West Ham on Dec. 28 by performing a gesture which is known in France as a quenelle and is regarded as anti-Semitic. Assou-Ekotto posted in French on Twitter after the match: "I congratulate you on the beautiful quenelle."

Both players were born in France.

The FA said the comment was "abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper" and was a breach of FA rules.

Tottenham issued a statement at the time of Assou-Ekotto's tweet, saying the player accepted that his comments were "ill-advised".

Assou-Ekotto can appeal.

Anelka was banned for five matches and had his contract with West Brom terminated for performing the quenelle.