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Reactions continue in Turkey over UEFA’s decision to ban Turkish national player Merih Demiral from two matches. Demiral, 26, a former Juventus and Atalanta player, will not play against the Netherlands in today’s (Saturday) quarter-final and will also miss the EURO 2024 semi-finals if Turkey make it that far.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing its regret for the exclusion of the player emphasizes that “international sports events are organized to bring societies and countries closer together. This decision has deeply disappointed our citizens both at home and abroad. It reinforced the assessment that the trend of prejudice against foreigners is increasing in some European countries.”

Football Federation: “Ancient symbol of Anatolia”

The Turkish press accuses UEFA of double standards and cites cases where it left unpunished football players, with “political and ideological behavior, displaying photos of country leaders or using e.g. the Serbian nationalist Chetnik salute with three fingers raised. Particularly displeased is the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which submitted to UEFA the Turkish player’s defense file, with many examples claiming that the Gray Wolf symbol is an ancient symbol of the Turkic peoples of Anatolia, Central Asia.

The Italian coach of the Turkey National Football Team, Vincenzo Modela, said that he considers UEFA’s punishment unfair. The reaction of the leader of Erdogan’s far-right partner, Devlet Bakhceli, whose party includes the nationalist Gray Wolves youth movement, was also strong. “UEFA’s decision to ban our national footballer Merih Demiral is scandalous.” Bakhceli claimed that there are now “racist and fascist tendencies in UEFA and the decision was “a disgusting manifestation of incurable hostility towards the Turkish nation.”

Bakhceli: A matter of national dignity

Bacelli went further. Saying that “crazy Turks have the determination and faith to overcome any obstacle. He called on the Turkish national team to leave EURO 2024 and return to Turkey in protest. “Having the Netherlands alone on the field will be the most appropriate option for our national dignity,” he said.

The president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), Mehmet Buyukeksi, called the decision “unacceptable, illegal and politically motivated”: “Although there was no statement about a penalty in the report of the UEFA representative responsible for the match, the the fact that UEFA appointed an inspector and launched an investigation into the matter, after the statements of some Western politicians have raised doubts about the independence of the process and the decision.

The gesture our player made is in no way political in nature, it symbolizes Turkishness and Turks have been using this symbol for centuries. This sentence is completely unacceptable.”

President Erdoğan, according to statements he made on the plane returning from Kazakhstan, will watch today’s match in Berlin, which starts at 10am Greek time. To relevant questions from journalists about the punishment of Demiral due to the gesture of the Gray Wolves, the Turkish president answered: “Does anyone say that the Germans have an eagle on their shirt? Does anyone say the French have a rooster on their shirt? Why are you agitated?’