UEFA investigates Turkish player Merih Demiral over gesture

“An investigation has been opened in relation to the UEFA European Championship 2024 Round of 16 match between Austria and Turkey, to be played in Leipzig, Germany, on 2 July 2024 pursuant to Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations relating to alleged inappropriate conduct by Turkish Football Federation player Merih Demiral,” UEFA said in a statement.

The Grey Wolves are accused of numerous murders, especially during the 1970s when fighting broke out between armed right-wing and left-wing groups in Turkey. Thousands of people were killed during this period, and experts say the Grey Wolves were one of the best-known right-wing groups, committing politically motivated acts of violence, often against left-wing groups.

Austria banned the “wolf salute” in 2019 and made the gesture punishable by fines of up to $4,300. This is part of a broader initiative to ban symbols of “extremist organizations.” France banned the group in 2020, with a government spokesman accusing it of “extremely violent” actions at the time. In Germany, where the continental tournament is taking place, the gesture is not banned.

Nevertheless, German politicians condemned Demiral’s actions. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said such symbols “have no place in our stadiums.” This in turn led to condemnation by Omer Celik, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party, with which the Grey Wolves are allied. Celik called Faeser’s comments and UEFA’s investigation “unacceptable,” adding: “Those looking for racism and fascism would be better off focusing on the recent election results in various European countries.”

When asked about the gesture after Tuesday’s game, Demiral said it was a harmless expression of national pride.

“It has to do with this Turkish identity, because I am very proud to be Turkish. And I felt that most after the second goal,” he said. “That’s how I ended up making that gesture. I’m very happy that I did it. I saw people in the stadium making that sign. That reminded me that I had that in mind too.”

When asked about the gesture, he replied: “How can I explain it? Of course we are all Turks. We are all Turks in Turkey. We are very proud. I am very proud as a human being to be Turkish. So I did it. That was the meaning of the gesture. It is completely normal.”

Demiral has previously been punished for nationalist gestures.

In 2019, UEFA fined the Turkish Football Federation and reprimanded more than 20 players, including Demiral, for performing military salutes at matches during the Turkish offensive in Syria. UEFA said at the time that the gestures were “inappropriate given the specific political context at the time”.

On Wednesday, UEFA announced that it had appointed an inspector to investigate the latest matter, but gave no timetable for a decision. Turkey’s quarter-final match against the Netherlands is scheduled for Saturday.