Cheers at ÖFB match

“Absolute scandal” at the European Championship: UEFA intervenes!

Merih Demiral's goals caused frustration at the ÖFB. Because of his celebration, he is now the focus of UEFA's investigation.

(Bild: AP/Martin Meissner, APA/AFP/Ronny HARTMANN)

UEFA has opened an investigation into Turkey's national team player Merih Demiral after he celebrated a goal with the so-called wolf salute. "To show the wolf salute so prominently on the anniversary of the Sivas massacre is an absolute scandal," complains the German "Society for Threatened Peoples".

Now UEFA is taking action! As the European Football Union announced, the investigation concerns "alleged inappropriate behavior" by the defender, who scored twice in Turkey's 2:1 victory over Austria in the European Championship round of 16 on Tuesday. He celebrated the second goal with the hand sign of the "Grey Wolves", who are considered nationalist and fascist.

Merih Demiral's wolf salute celebration

(Bild: AP/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Faeser criticizes
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her outrage at the incident on Wednesday. "The symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums. Using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable," said the SPD politician.

Demiral himself had commented on the gesture that night in Leipzig: "The way I celebrated has something to do with my Turkish identity." He claimed that he was not sending a hidden message, but simply wanted to express his pride as a Turk. The gesture is banned in Austria.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser

(Bild: AP)

The supporters of the right-wing extremist "Ülkücü movement", which is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany, are known as the "Gray Wolves". In Turkey, the ultra-nationalist MHP is its political representative and ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-conservative AKP.

The German Society for Threatened Peoples called on UEFA not to tolerate the wolf salute. "To show the wolf salute so prominently on the anniversary of the Sivas massacre is an absolute scandal," said Kamal Sido, the STP's Middle East Consultant. "The Turkish national team must publicly distance itself from showing the right-wing extremist symbol."

Thirty years ago, an Islamist mob incited by religious extremists had set fire to a hotel in the city center of Sivas, where Alevi writers, singers and intellectuals were staying. The flames killed 37 people, most of the victims were of the Alevi faith. Alevis are a religious minority in Turkey, which is predominantly Sunni.

Is Demiral missing against the Netherlands?
Demiral scored the fastest goal in the knockout round of a European Championship after just 57 seconds in Leipzig and in the 59th minute. Turkey will play against the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals of the European Championship. UEFA stated that further information on the pending investigation would be released in due course.