Turkish fans were furious after UEFA suspended Merih Demiral for making a controversial gesture after scoring goals in the Euro 2024 round of 16. Because of this, fans decided to perform it during the national anthem before the quarter-final match.
On Saturday (July 6), we got to know the last semi-finalists of Euro 2024. The day before, Spain and France advanced and will face each other in a direct clash. The second pair will be formed by England and the Netherlands .
The last of the mentioned teams was the only one to advance due to regular time. Although the Dutch were losing to the Turkish team from the 35th minute, they were able to turn the tables after the break and eventually won 2-1.
Who knows how this match would have turned out if the Turkish coach had been able to call on Merih Demiral . The defender was the hero in the quarter-final clash with Austria, scoring twice. However, due to his controversial goal celebration, he was suspended for two matches by UEFA.
There was a stir in that country after the organization’s decision. For this reason, Turkish fans decided to vent their anger before the match with the Netherlands. Bizarre scenes occurred in the stands of the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
When the Turkish national anthem was played, the fans started doing the so-called wolf salute. In doing so, they repeated Demiral’s behavior, for which he was suspended for two matches and therefore missed the quarter-final match against the Netherlands.
The gesture involves raising the little finger and index finger. It is associated with the Turkish right-wing extremist group Grey Wolves, which reached its peak in the 1970s. It has dozens of attacks, murders and robberies to its credit, targeting, among others, representatives of the left and ethnic minorities. The author of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, Ali Agca, was also a member of this organization. However, the wolf salute is banned in Germany, France and Austria.
