Palace' Hennessey charged over social media gesture

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has been charged by the Football Association (FA) over a social media post in which he made an alleged Nazi salute. Wales international Hennessey denied deliberately making the gesture in a photograph on Instagram posted by his Palace team-mate Max Meyer. But the FA confirmed on Wednesday that Hennessey has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

"Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3," an FA statement said. "It is alleged that a gesture he made, which was captured by a photograph and posted on social media, breached Rule E3[1] as it was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute."

"It is further alleged that this constitutes an 'Aggravated Breach', which is defined in Rule E3[2], as it included reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion and/or belief."

Hennessey, who has made 17 Premier League appearances for Palace this season, has been given until January 31 to respond to the FA charge.