Wayne Hennessey did not know what a Nazi salute was

Bonnyloyal

Well-Known Member
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey did not know what a Nazi salute was when he was charged with making the offensive gesture, says a Football Association panel.
The charge was found not proven this month and Wales international Hennessey, 32, will face no punishment.
The regulatory commission has published its written reasons for the decision.
It said Hennessey showed a "lamentable degree of ignorance" about Adolf Hitler, fascism and the Nazi regime.
Hennessey was pictured with his right arm in the air and left hand above his mouth in a photo posted on Instagram by German team-mate Max Meyer after Palace's FA Cup win over Grimsby on 5 January.
Hennessey denied the charge and said any resemblance to the Nazi gesture was "absolutely coincidental".
The charge was found not proven after two members of the three-man panel believed the photograph had been "misinterpreted" and the other said the "only plausible explanation" was that Hennessey made the salute.
Hennessey said he "waved and shouted at the person taking the picture to get on with it" and "put my hand over my mouth to make the sound carry".
He submitted photographs to the panel of him making similar gestures during matches to attract the attention of team-mates.
The panel said Hennessey was "able to corroborate" his explanation with a series of photographs, including one that showed his right arm raised and left hand across his mouth in a "similar way" to the photo posted on Instagram.
Hennessey said "from the outset" of the hearing that he did not know what a Nazi salute was.
"Improbable as that may seem to those of us of an older generation, we do not reject that assertion as untrue," said the panel.
"In fact, when cross-examined about this Mr Hennessey displayed a very considerable - one might even say lamentable - degree of ignorance about anything to do with Hitler, Fascism and the Nazi regime.
"Regrettable though it may be that anyone should be unaware of so important a part of our own and world history, we do not feel we should therefore find he was not telling the truth about this.
"All we would say (at the risk of sounding patronising) is that Mr Hennessey would be well advised to familiarise himself with events which continue to have great significance to those who live in a free country."
The panel said other photographs from the evening showed Hennessey's arm "raised in slightly different but comparable postures" that "at its lowest" demonstrates he was trying to attract the attention of the photographer, Jordan Bussolini.
It said the FA was "entirely justified" in bringing the case but that "rather than giving a Nazi salute, we think it more likely that Mr Hennessey was, as he says, trying to shout at and to catch the attention of the waiter."
 
Right ye are Wayne. Even done the moustache and everything:)):))

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It's a crime in Germany didn't know it was in the UK as well,and before anyone starts I'm not condoning his actions or anyone else's for that matter.
 
He's a footballer so this maybe true.

But coughing whilst waving at his mate would be more believable.
 
I bet he didn’t even think anyone would believe his excuse.

Anyway glad he didn’t get punished. As tasteless as it is, he shouldn’t be getting a fine or ban for something he did on a team night out.
 
A still picture can make anything look out of context. Not saying I believe his excuse, but if he's got evidence to back it up then there's really no way they can prove he's guilty, so it's the correct decision IMO.

Only way you could prove something like that is if it was a video taken and not just a single frame photograph.
 
He should get a ban for such a ridiculous excuse.

If he stuck to his original waving and sound carrying reasoning at least he could show pictures of when he was playing doing similar and use that as evidence.
 
Have we reached the point in time where Hitler is best known as a character in the Downfall meme now?
 
"In fact, when cross-examined about this Mr Hennessey displayed a very considerable - one might even say lamentable - degree of ignorance about anything to do with Hitler, Fascism and the Nazi regime."

So they're pretty much calling him stupid, yet they're the ones who have bought that utterly ridiculous explanation for what he was doing?! :))

F*ck me. The irony.
 
Thats a Separate Entity level of excuses. Quite impressive to have the balls to admit to being such a fckin halfwit on that scale.
 
I don't know which is harder to believe; that he wasn't doing a Nazi salute, or that a 32-year old man would know what a Nazi salute is. Both are equally bonkers.
 
I don't know which is harder to believe; that he wasn't doing a Nazi salute, or that a 32-year old man would know what a Nazi salute is. Both are equally bonkers.

Add in a third one - that this "panel" bought his explanation.

This is one of the most ludicrous things I've read for ages.
 
First thought when reading about this the other day was "if you believe that, then you'll believe anything." Would be laughable if it wasn't so concerning.
 
First reply wins, yet again!

Stopped teaching people about Hitler and co and school have they? Never watched a war movie Wayne? Never seen anyone else in trouble for doing what you did? Aye, right ye are son!

I’m calling it now, Hennessy will one day play for lying koonts in hoops fc
A perfect fit.
 
I can almost believe it. Had a twenty-five year old colleague over here recently who knew virtually nothing about Hitler or WWII.
 
Not proven?
Are the two members of the panel that thick?

Employment law is on the balance of probability.
How on earth they can say on the balance of probability it is not a nazi salute is incredible.
 
First reply wins, yet again!

Stopped teaching people about Hitler and co and school have they? Never watched a war movie Wayne? Never seen anyone else in trouble for doing what you did? Aye, right ye are son!

I’m calling it now, Hennessy will one day play for lying koonts in hoops fc
It got him off and was impossible to prove him wrong on this occasion.
 
The whole thing is a farce. The guy made a joke on a night out with his pals. Yes it’s a bit crass but %^*& me this has been overkill
 
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