UEFA is investigating Turkey’s Merih Demiral after he made a gesture with far-right overtones after scoring a goal in their Euro 2024 win over Austria on Tuesday.
Demiral made the “wolf” salute with his hands after scoring his second goal in Turkey’s 2-1 win over Austria, which secured their place in the quarter-finals and set up their match against the Netherlands on Saturday. That gesture is associated with the Grey Wolves, a far-right nationalist group based in Turkey. The group has been banned in France, and the gesture Demiral made is prohibited in Austria, where it is punishable by fines of up to €4,000.
“An investigation has been opened in accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations in relation to alleged inappropriate behaviour by Turkish Football Association player Merih Demiral,” UEFA said in a statement. “Further information on this matter will be provided in due course.”
If it chooses to sanction Demiral, UEFA could fine or suspend him. FIFA fined a pair of Swiss players for making a similar gesture during a match at the 2018 World Cup. Demiral was among Turkish players cautioned in 2019 after they made military-style gestures in matches while the country was conducting military operations in Syria.
Demiral was asked about the gesture after the match and said he had it in mind before scoring. The gesture, he insisted, was “quite normal.”
“It has to do with this Turkish identity, because I am very proud to be Turkish. And I felt it the most after the second goal. That’s how I ended up making that gesture. I’m very happy that I did it,” Demiral said. Via The Associated Press“I saw people in the stadium making that gesture, so that reminded me that I had that in mind too.”
The gesture is not banned in Germany, where Euro 2024 is being held, but it still drew harsh condemnation from the country’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on social media. Faeser also said the Grey Wolves are currently under surveillance by the German government.
Symbols of Turkish legal extremism cannot be found in our stadiums. European football clubs are considered a platform for growth, which is totally unacceptable. We know that UEFA has proven its effectiveness and its sanctions.https://t.co/65yoSUAAQJ
—Nancy Faeser (@NancyFaeser) July 3, 2024
“Symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums,” he wrote in German. “Using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is totally unacceptable. We hope that UEFA will investigate the case and consider imposing sanctions.”
Faeser’s comments prompted Turkey to summon the German ambassador on Wednesday in protest. According to The Associated Press.
Türkiye will face the Netherlands on Saturday in Berlin.