Following the example of Nicolas Anelka, Belgian Futsal international Omar Rahou has also been disciplined for making the quenelle gesture during a match. Rahou has been suspended for 10 UEFA competition matches for both his national team and club, as a result of his actions during the 2014 European Futsal Championship.
The incident occurred during a group match between Belgium and Romania, where Rahou repeated the gesture known as the quenelle while celebrating a goal. UEFA conducted an investigation and determined that the gesture had discriminatory connotations, leading to the decision to sanction the player.
UEFA emphasizes its commitment to combating racism and discriminatory behavior, adopting a “zero tolerance” policy in this regard. Rahou has the option to appeal the decision, but the severity of the punishment reflects UEFA’s firm stance on such actions.
It remains to be seen whether Belgium will uphold a similar level of rigor in enforcing disciplinary measures against Rahou, as was the case with Anelka in England.
