Turkey defender Merih Demiral has been handed a two-game ban for making a nationalist gesture during his side’s Euro 2024 win against Austria.
The 26-year-old scored both goals as the Turks won out in the last 16 to set up a quarter-final tie with the Netherlands on Saturday.
Demiral – who plays his club football in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli – celebrated the second of his strikes with a ‘wolf salute’, which is associated with an extremist group called the ‘Grey Wolves’.
They are linked with the ruling coalition party in Turkey and the gesture is banned in Austria in France.
The defender said his celebration was pre-planned in case he scored in the match.
He said: “I had a specific celebration in mind, something connected to my Turkish identity.
🚨 UEFA confirm 2 game ban for Merih Demiral with immediate effect.
He’s not gonna be available for game vs Netherlands and if they proceed to the semi finals.
Turkish Federation has appealed to CAS.
↪️ Bellingham will be available, Demiral will not be available. pic.twitter.com/FB6zvHeRL5
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 5, 2024
“I am incredibly proud to be Turkish, and I felt that pride deeply after scoring.
“I wanted to express that, and I’m very happy I did. Our fans are proud of us.
“I saw them doing the gesture in the stands, and it made me want to do it even more.”
UEFA’s charges included: Failing to comply with general principles of conduct, violating the basic rules of decent conduct, using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and bringing the sport of football into disrepute.
Now, he will miss the match against the Netherlands and a potential semi-final against either England or Switzerland.
