UEFA announced on Wednesday that it had opened an investigation into the “alleged inappropriate behaviour” of Turkish defender Merih Demiral during the Euro 16 match against Austria, when he allegedly made a gesture associated with the far right.
Author of both goals in the victory of the Turks over the Austrians this Tuesday (2-1), Demiral published on his X account a photo celebrating with his arms open and making with his hands the symbol of the “Grey Wolves”, a far-right group in Turkey.
After the game, the defender said that the gesture did not contain any “hidden message” and that he only wanted to express his “happiness” and his “pride” in being Turkish.
“The way I celebrated has to do with my Turkish identity. I am very proud to be Turkish and that is the meaning of my gesture,” explained Demiral, who was named the best player of the match.
🇹🇷 How happy is the one who says I am a Turk! pic.twitter.com/4K3kVPFxgW
— Merih Demiral (@Merihdemiral) July 2, 2024
However, UEFA announced that it had appointed an “ethics and disciplinary investigator” to work on the case. The image quickly went viral on social media and was heavily criticised.
“The symbol of Turkish right-wing extremists has no place in our stadiums,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser responded on X.
“Using the European Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable. We hope that UEFA will investigate the case and consider punishments,” Faeser added.
“It is the symbol of oppression and persecution,” denounced the leader of the NGO Association for Threatened Peoples in the Middle East, Kamal Sido.
In turn, Turkey’s Sports Minister, Osman Askin Bak, reposted the player’s photo with the message “Not much to say…” and the country’s flag.
The “Grey Wolves” are the paramilitary wing of the Nationalist Action Party, a far-right party in Turkey, and are banned in countries such as France and Austria, but not in Germany, due to their violent actions in the 1980s against left-wing activists and ethnic minorities.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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