Demiral Given Two-Game Ban For Nationalist Salute

Turkey defender Merih Demiral has been handed a two-game ban after making an ultra-nationalist salute at Euro 2024. Demiral made the gesture during his team’s 2-1 win over Austria in the round of 16 while celebrating his second goal of the game in Leipzig. The ‘wolf salute’ is associated with the far-right extremist group Grey Wolves, which has links with the ruling coalition party, the National Movement Party. Demiral failed “to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct,” according to UEFA. The 26-year-old was also found to be “using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute". England’s Jude Bellingham was given a one-match suspended ban after he made a crotch-grabbing gesture during his team’s win over Slovakia. Turkey's minister of youth and sports, Osman Askin Bak, responded to the “political” verdict by claiming that there is a “double standard applied to our country".

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