This goal celebration has consequences for Merih Demiral. © APA/afp / RONNY HARTMANN

This fascist cheer has consequences

For Merih Demiral, the wolf salute he showed when celebrating a goal against Austria has had serious consequences. UEFA has banned the Turkish national team defender for two matches.

July 05, 2024

From: dpa

This means that the 26-year-old will be missing from his team's European Championship quarter-finals on Saturday in Berlin against the Netherlands (21 p.m.) and in a possible semi-final. Demiral formed the hand sign and symbol of the "Grey Wolves" with both hands after his goal in Leipzig during the 2-1 round of XNUMX win against Austria, causing much outrage.

The supporters of the right-wing extremist “Ülkücü movement”, which is monitored by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany, are called “Grey Wolves”. In Turkey, the ultra-nationalist MHP is their political representative and an ally of the Islamic-conservative AKP of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Fine for Bellingham

Demiral initially received support from his home country. The head of the ultra-nationalist MHP, Devlet Bahceli, described the initiation of proceedings by UEFA as a "provocation". The step was "extremely biased and wrong".

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned the investigation and described it as unacceptable. Not every person who displays the symbol of the Grey Wolves can be described as right-wing extremist. The wolf salute is also not banned in Germany and the reactions of the German authorities are "xenophobic". The ministry also summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday.

Jude Bellingham has to pay a fine. © APA/afp / OZAN KOSE

There is also a penalty for the Englishman Jude Bellingham. The former BVB player who plays for Real Madrid will not be banned after making an obscene gesture while celebrating a goal, but will receive a fine of at least 20.000 euros.