Merih Demiral: UEFA imposes two-match ban on Turkish defender after controversial goal celebration

CNN
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UEFA has suspended Turkish player Merih Demiral for two matches after the defender made a controversial hand gesture during the club’s Euro 2024 last-16 win over Austria.

Demiral scored twice in Turkey’s 2-1 victory and celebrated with a gesture known as the “wolf salute,” which is associated with the Turkish far-right group “Grey Wolves.”

UEFA announced on Friday that Demiral will be suspended, a day before Turkey’s quarter-final against the Netherlands.

In its statement, UEFA said its professional body had charged the defender “with failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, with violating the basic rules of decent behaviour, with using sporting events for events of a non-sporting nature and with bringing the sport of football into disrepute.”

The Turkish Football Federation confirmed to CNN that its legal department is working on an appeal against the suspension.

After the victory over Austria, Demiral posted a photo of himself making the gesture on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Happy is someone who calls himself a Turk,” the defender captioned the post.

“I had a certain specific celebration in mind. I did it. It has to do with Turkish identity, because I am very proud to be Turkish. And I felt that completely after the second goal, so in the end I made that gesture,” Demiral told reporters after the match. “I am very happy that I did it.”

Germany summoned the Turkish ambassador to Berlin on Thursday after Turkey recalled the German ambassador to Ankara.

German representatives have discussed the incident with the Turkish ambassador in Berlin, the German Foreign Ministry said.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned on Wednesday that “the symbols of Turkish far-right extremists have no place in our stadiums” and said that “using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable.”

Faeser added that the “Grey Wolves” group is being monitored in Germany.

CNN’s German network NTV reported on Thursday that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will come to Berlin on Saturday for Turkey’s match against the Netherlands.