Türkiye slams UEFA over probe on Merih Demiral

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has criticized the UEFA for launching a probe against national team player Merih Demiral over his alleged nationalist gesture during the Türkiye-Austria Euro 2024 elimination match on late July 2.

In a written statement on July 3, the ministry stressed that this investigation on Demiral was not acceptable and equally slammed the German interior minister’s reaction against the Turkish player.

The ministry reminded a report by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which underlined that not everyone making the gesture of the grey wolves can be tagged as an ultra-rightist.

It also stressed that this sign is not banned in Germany. “[Therefore] reactions displayed by the German authorities against Mr. Demiral are themselves containing xenophobia,” it underlined, describing this gesture as cultural and historical.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser criticizes the Turkish player's goal celebration.

"The symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums," Faeser said on X, formerly Twitter.

"Using the European football championships as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable," she added.

Speaking after the game in Leipzig, Demiral said there was no "hidden message" in his celebration.

"The way I celebrated had something to do with my Turkish identity," said Demiral, who was man of the match after scoring both Türkiye’s goals against Austria at Euro 2024 on July 2.

"We are all Turks, I am very proud to be Turkish and that is the meaning of this gesture."

In the meantime, the ministry summoned German Ambassador to Turkiye Jurgen Schulz to express Ankara’s disturbance.