The diplomatic row between Turkey and Germany has intensified following Turkish footballer Merih Demiral’s controversial ‘wolf salute’ celebration during Turkey’s Euro 2024 match against Austria. In a significant escalation, Germany’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Turkish Ambassador to Berlin, Ahmet Başar Şen, to discuss the incident. This move comes after Turkey had previously summoned Germany’s ambassador to Ankara in protest of comments made by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.Faeser strongly condemned Demiral’s gesture, stating that ‘Turkish far-right symbols have no place in our stadiums’ and describing the use of the European football championships as a platform for racism as ‘completely unacceptable’. The gesture, associated with the ultranationalist ‘Grey Wolves’ movement, is banned in Austria and France.In response to the growing controversy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has changed his travel plans and will now attend Turkey’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday. This decision is seen as a show of support for the Turkish team amid the diplomatic tensions.UEFA has launched an investigation into Demiral’s celebration, describing it as ‘potentially inappropriate behavior’. The outcome of this investigation could potentially impact Demiral’s availability for the upcoming quarterfinal match.The incident has reignited debates about the intersection of politics and sports, with the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticizing the UEFA investigation and German reactions as ‘politically motivated’ and ‘xenophobic’. Meanwhile, in Germany, there are calls from the Left Party to ban the ‘Grey Wolves’ group, which is already being monitored by German domestic intelligence.
Key points
- Germany has summoned the Turkish ambassador over Merih Demiral’s ‘wolf salute’ gesture during Euro 2024.
- Turkish President Erdogan will attend Turkey’s quarterfinal match in Berlin, changing his travel plans amid the controversy.
- UEFA has launched an investigation into Demiral’s celebration, which could affect his participation in the upcoming match.
- The incident has sparked a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Germany, with both sides exchanging accusations of xenophobia and extremism.
Contradictions👾While some sources report that the ‘wolf salute’ gesture is banned in Austria and France, others mention that there is no ban on the gesture in Germany.
This discrepancy in regulations across European countries adds to the complexity of the situation.
