Turkish defender Merih Demiral will not be able to play in the Euro 2024 quarter-final against the Netherlands after UEFA handed him a two-match ban for “using” football and “bringing it into disrepute” by making a far-right symbol, while the organisation fined Jude Bellingham €30,000 for his gesture of pointing to his crotch while also celebrating a goal.
Turkish defender Merih Demiral will not be able to play in the Euro 2024 quarter-final against the Netherlands (today at 9:00 p.m.) after being banned for two matches by UEFA for his far-right salute in celebration during the round of 16. UEFA has banned him “for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for using sporting events for non-sporting events and for bringing football into disrepute,” the Disciplinary Committee announced.
The centre-back was the star of the Austria-Turkey last-16 tie on Tuesday, scoring twice to send his team through to the next round. In one of those goals, Demiral made a gesture by raising both arms and making with his hands a symbol used by a Turkish far-right paramilitary organisation (the Grey Wolf salute).
Demiral, 26, justified his gesture after the match against Austria, despite criticism. “The way I celebrated has something to do with my Turkish identity,” he said, before stressing that his aim was to express the pride he felt in being a Turkish citizen. The group, which was involved in guerrilla attacks against leftists and activists in Turkey in the 1970s, has ties to the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement (MHP) party, led by Devlet Bahçeli and currently the main ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Indeed, Erdogan took the floor: “Does anyone talk about the eagle on Germany’s shirt? Does anyone say there is a rooster on France’s? Merih thus expressed his emotion with this gesture.”
On the other hand, UEFA also imposed a fine of 30,000 euros on English midfielder Jude Bellingham, who was also banned for one match for “infringing the basic rules of decent conduct”, in reference to his gesture pointing to his crotch after scoring the equaliser in stoppage time against Slovakia that sent England to extra time in the round of 16. However, the Real Madrid player will be able to play this Saturday against Switzerland in the quarter-finals as it is a suspension that is not “of immediate execution”, and that “is subject to a probationary period of one year, from the date of this decision”, according to UEFA, which therefore warns and does not punish Bellingham fully.
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