Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the German ambassador to Ankara, Jürgen Schulz, following a disciplinary investigation launched by UEFA against Turkish footballer Merih Demiral. The investigation concerns a gesture made by Demiral, known as the 'Grey Wolves' sign, after scoring a goal during the Euro 2024 match between Turkey and Austria on Tuesday.
The ministry's statement, published on its website, declared the UEFA investigation unacceptable, emphasizing that the 'Grey Wolves' sign is not banned in Germany.
"Moreover, the report published by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in September 2023 emphasized that the “grey wolf” sign can not necessarily be associated with right-wing extremism," the statement noted.
The statement highlighted a report by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which stated that not every person making the 'Grey Wolves' sign can be labeled as a far-right extremist².
The ministry criticized the reactions of the German authorities towards Demiral as xenophobic and politically motivated, asserting that the gesture was a 'historical and cultural symbol.'
The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) deputy parliamentary group chair, Özlem Zengin, also criticized the German government, labeling German Interior Minister Minister Nancy Faeser's statement as 'fascistic.' Such actions should be "evaluated within the context of a country's own values," she said.
The controversy arose after Demiral celebrated his goals during the match by making the 'Grey Wolves' sign, which he also shared on his social media account. This prompted Faeser to call for sanctions from UEFA, stating on social media that symbols of Turkish far-right extremists have no place in their stadiums and that using the European Football Championship as a platform for racism is entirely unacceptable.
UEFA has initiated an investigation into the incident, which could potentially result in sanctions against Demiral. The match, held in Leipzig, Germany, ended with a 2-1 victory for Turkey, securing their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. (HA/VK)
