BREAKING: UEFA has BANNED Merih Demiral for 2 European Championship games due to his celebration vs Austria

Turkish defender Merih Demiral has been handed a two-match ban by Uefa for making an ultra-nationalist salute during his country’s Euro 2024 victory over Austria. The 26-year-old, who scored both of Turkey’s goals in their 2-1 win against Austria, celebrated his second goal with a ‘wolf salute’, a gesture associated with the far-right extremist group Grey Wolves. This group is linked with Turkey’s ruling coalition party, the National Movement Party.

The defender admitted that the salute was pre-planned in case he scored in the last-16 tie. This action brings along a multitude of charges by Uefa, including 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.

In contrast, England’s Jude Bellingham has been deemed free to play in the quarter-final match against Switzerland, despite making a crotch-grabbing gesture as he celebrated scoring in the last-16 win over Slovakia. The 21-year-old Real Madrid midfielder has been given a one-match suspended penalty and fined £25,400 (30,000 Euros).

In response to Demiral’s sanction, Osman Askın Bak, Turkey’s minister of youth and sports, criticized Uefa’s decision, denouncing it as unfair, biased, and politically motivated. He affirmed that legal action will be pursued against what they believe to be a double standard applied to their country and national football player Merih Demiral. “We condemn Uefa’s unfair and biased decision, which we believe has no legal basis and is entirely political. “We will continue to seek our rights through legal means against this double standard applied to our country and our national football player Merih Demiral. “We believe in our football players. They will also give the necessary answer on the field.”

The minister concluded by expressing confidence in the Turkish football players, affirming that they will provide a fitting response on the field. This situation has ignited polarized reactions and generated significant attention, impacting the ongoing Euro 2024 tournament.