In a new comment on the incident of Turkish national team player Merih Demiral celebrating the “wolf salute” gesture, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan considered that the sanctions against Demiral are a punishment against Turkey’s structure.
Erdogan said during his return trip from the German capital, Berlin, after attending the Turkish national team’s match against its Dutch counterpart, that: “The punishment issued against Merih is not for him personally, but rather it is a punishment for the structure of Turkey as a nation.”
Erdogan added, "If the issue is to punish the 'gray wolf' sign, then the Germans have an eagle, so do you punish the eagle? No, and the French have roosters. Do you punish the French by saying: 'Why do you have roosters?'"
The Turkish President explained, "The West's approach towards us in terms of mentality has never changed until today. The punishment they imposed on the Turkish player Merih Demiral (because of the Gray Wolf reference) was a punishment decided from the first moment."
The European Football Association (UEFA) decided to ban Demiral for two matches after he celebrated the “wolf salute” gesture after scoring two goals in the Austria match, sending his team to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2008.
"Wolf Salute" celebration controversy
The Turkish player's celebration of the "wolf salute" gesture caused widespread controversy due to its political content.
This reference is linked to the Gray Wolves organization, which is the extreme nationalist youth arm of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party, which is close to the current ruling party.
The organization was founded in the 1960s, and was involved in political violence between leftists and nationalists in Turkey, which caused the deaths of about 5,000 people during the 1980 coup.
German Interior Minister Nancy Weiser said on the X platform: “There is no place for symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists in our stadiums.”
The Interior Minister stated that although the wolf salute is not prohibited in Germany, the organization is subject to monitoring.
Comments