FA to check on Kalou celebration

The Football Association have confirmed they will examine video footage of Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou's 'handcuff' goal celebration against Middlesbrough.

Kalou struck twice, in the 58th and 81st minutes, to lift Chelsea into second place in the Barclays Premier League table and leave Middlesbrough entrenched in the bottom three.

But the striker celebrated both goals by crossing his wrists and was joined in doing so by Ivory Coast team-mate Didier Drogba. An FA spokesman confirmed: "We are going to look at the relevant footage."

Chelsea swiftly denied there was any political motivation behind Kalou's gesture and insisted he was not showing support for the recently freed Ivory Coast activist Antoine Assale Tiemoko.

Tiemoko was released from a one-year prison sentence last month after being convicted of 'libelling the prosecutor's office' and being in contempt of court.

He was arrested in December 2007 after the country's daily paper, Le Nouveau Reveil, published his opinion piece on judicial corruption. But Kalou denied he even knows Tiemoko.

"People are always going to think there is something in what you do, but it didn't mean anything," said Kalou.

"I was just happy. I don't even know the guy - it has nothing to do with football. It wasn't for him, I don't know him so I don't know why I should celebrate for him?"

Earlier, a spokesperson for Chelsea said: "Salomon says there was nothing in it. He was just trying out a new celebration and it was a crossing of the arms. He also sometimes puts his hand over his face like a mask."

The FA could decide to ask the player for his reasoning behind the gesture, but with Kalou having already denied it was politically motivated it is unlikely any further action would be taken.