Turkish football player Demiral salutes wolf
Turkish national team player Merih Demiral (Al-Ahly), who was embroiled in controversy over the ‘wolf salute’ at the 2024 European Football Championship (Euro 2024), will be suspended for two games, Reuters and TRT Haber broadcasting station reported on the 5th (local time).
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) decided on this punishment after a discussion with the disciplinary committee regarding Demiral, saying, “He used the game for non-sporty expression and brought dishonor to the sport of football.”
Accordingly, Demiral will not be able to play in the quarterfinal match between Turkey and the Netherlands on the 6th. 파워볼사이트
Turkey immediately appealed the decision.
“It is a regrettable and unacceptable decision,” Turkish UEFA executive committee member Servet Yardimç said in a statement, adding that “celebrations should not be punished as long as they do not insult other footballers.“
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that “this decision is a deep disappointment to Turks both at home and abroad” and that “prejudice against foreigners is on the rise in some European countries.”
Demiral celebrated by making a wolf face with both hands in the ‘wolf salute’ after scoring in the second half of the round of 16 match between Turkey and Austria on the 2nd.
The wolf salute is considered a greeting by the Turkish right-wing extremist group ‘Gray Wolf’ in Europe, including Germany, but Turks maintain that it is simply a symbol of the wolf, an animal sacred to the Turkic people.
On this day, UEFA also fined England national team member Jude Bellingham 30,000 euros (approximately 44.9 million won) and suspended him for one game for making an obscene hand gesture during the England-Slovakia round of 16 match on the 1st. Bellingham will be available to play in the quarterfinal match against Switzerland on the 6th. 스포츠토토링크