Türkiye on Thursday dismissed a German news report that its nationwide footballer Merih Demiral has been banned for 2 video games over a gesture he made throughout his purpose celebration within the Euro 2024 final 16 match in opposition to Austria.
German newspaper Bild reported that the ruling physique UEFA would ban the Turkish defender for Saturday’s quarterfinal in opposition to the Netherlands and one other match, probably the semifinal. However, it didn’t specify a supply for its declare.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) dismissed the report, saying they’d till Friday morning to submit their view. Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate additionally mentioned the report of the ban was not true.
UEFA has not commented or launched a ultimate determination on the matter, after saying on Wednesday they have been investigating potential “inappropriate behavior” from Demiral.
Demiral mimicked along with his fingers the form of a wolf’s head after his second purpose in a 2-1 victory over Austria within the spherical of 16 on Tuesday.
The gesture is linked to Idealists’ Hearths, a basis affiliated with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Erdoğan is about to attend the quarterfinal in Berlin in what native media mentioned was an effort to indicate solidarity with the nationwide workforce in particular person.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), amongst others, criticized the participant sharply.
Türkiye summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday in protest of the sharp reactions.
Demiral mentioned after the Austria sport that he solely wished to precise that he was proud to be Turkish and that there was no hidden message behind it.
Demiral additionally obtained backing from his house nation.
The chief of the MHP, Devlet Bahçeli, described UEFA’s initiation of proceedings in opposition to the participant as a “provocation.”
Bahçeli mentioned UEFA was leaping on “the bandwagon of evil” of these “who are obviously hostile to the Turks and Türkiye.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry described the investigation as unacceptable.
Not each particular person displaying the signal of the Idealists’ Hearths might be labeled as a right-wing extremist, it mentioned. Moreover, the wolf salute isn’t banned in Germany, and the reactions of the German authorities have been “xenophobic,” the ministry famous.
Source: www.dailysabah.com