Merih Demiral of Türkiye celebrates after scoring his second purpose throughout the UEFA EURO 2024 Round of 16 soccer match between Austria and Türkiye, in Leipzig, Germany, July 02, 2024. (IHA Photo)
European soccer’s governing physique mentioned on Wednesday that it had launched an investigation over the nationalist Grey Wolves salute given by Turkish defender Merih Demiral throughout Tuesday’s EURO 2024 conflict between Austria and Türkiye.
Diplomatic sources reported that German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser requested sanctions from UEFA, ensuing within the German Ambassador to Ankara being summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The assertion from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is as follows:
“It is unacceptable {that a} disciplinary investigation has been opened by UEFA in opposition to our nationwide soccer participant Merih Demiral following the soccer match between our National Football Team and the Austrian National Football Team, which befell yesterday (2nd July) as a part of the 2024 European Football Championship (EURO 2024).
On the opposite hand, whereas a report printed by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in September 2023 emphasised that anybody making the wolf gesture can’t be thought of right-wing extremist and that the ‘wolf’ image just isn’t banned in Germany, reactions proven to Mr. Demiral by German authorities are evaluated as xenophobic in nature.
We condemn politically motivated reactions in direction of the usage of a historic and cultural image throughout a celebration in a sports activities match, which didn’t goal anybody.”
Source: www.anews.com.tr