- The wolf salute is associated with grey wolves and is prohibited in Austria.
- Merih Demiral gestured after scoring in Türkiye’s win on Tuesday
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Turkish defender Merih Demiral is under investigation by UEFA after allegedly making a gesture linked to a far-right extremist group.
Demiral scored twice in his country’s 2-1 win over Austria in the Euro 2024 round of 16 last night, booking their place in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands.
But the 26-year-old’s controversial celebration after his second goal has sparked an investigation by the governing body into alleged “inappropriate behaviour”.
The centre-back, who now faces sanctions, is accused of performing the “wolf salute”, an act associated with the Grey Wolves, a far-right extremist group in Turkey.
The Grey Wolves, officially called Ulku Ocaklari, are the youth movement of the Nationalist Movement Party, which is in coalition with the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkish defender Merih Demiral is under investigation by UEFA and could face a suspension for allegedly making a gesture linked to the far-right extremist group Grey Wolves.
Demiral scored both of Turkey’s goals in their 2-1 win over Austria in the Euro 2024 round of 16
Supporters of the group are considered extremists by Germany’s Constitutional Protection Agency, as well as by the European Union and the United States.
The gesture allegedly made by Demiral is banned in France and Austria.
The ban was introduced in Austria in 2019, following the passage of a law banning symbols of “extremist organisations”. The gesture can lead to fines of up to 4,000 euros.
But in 2019, Turkey’s government criticised Austria’s stance, arguing the ban equated the symbol of a legal political party with that of the PKK, a Kurdish militant movement considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US and the EU.
After the match, Demiral explained why he had made the gesture.
“I had a specific celebration in mind, something related to my Turkish identity. I am incredibly proud to be Turkish and I felt that pride deeply after scoring,” he said.
Demiral headed his second goal in from a corner before making the “wolf” gesture
The gesture allegedly made by Demiral (left) is banned in France and Austria
Nancy Faeser, German Minister of the Interior and Home Affairs, has called for a ban on UEFA
“I wanted to express it and I’m very happy to have done it. Our fans are proud of us. I saw them doing that gesture in the stands and it made me want to do it even more.”
Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has urged UEFA to consider sanctions and criticised the alleged move.
“Symbols of the Turkish far right have no place in our stadiums,” Faeser wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning. “Using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable.”
A UEFA statement confirmed that an investigation had 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’s safety and security regulations state that “promotion, advertising of political messages or other political actions within or in the immediate vicinity of the stadium is strictly prohibited before, during and after” matches.
Sports mail has contacted UEFA and the Turkish Football Federation for comment.
UEFA is also currently investigating the sexual gesture made by Jude Bellingham after scoring England’s equaliser in their 2-1 win over Slovakia on Sunday.
