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.
“UEFA has decided to suspend Turkish national team player Merih Demiral for a total of two matches for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for non-sporting demonstrations and for bringing football into disrepute,” the Disciplinary Committee announced. The centre-back was the star of the Austria-Turkey round of 16 match at Euro 2024, which was played on Tuesday, thanks to a double that put his team into the next phase. But in one of his 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). This led UEFA to open an investigation that now ends with a two-match ban, meaning he will not be able to take to the pitch in the Netherlands-Turkey quarter-final on Saturday (9:00 p.m.).
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 his pride in being a Turkish citizen. In fact, he later posted a photograph of himself making the gesture during the celebration on social network X along with the message: “How happy is the one who says he is Turkish.” The group, which in the 1970s was involved in guerrilla attacks against leftists and activists in Turkey, has ties to the ultra-nationalist party Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), led by Devlet Bahçeli and currently the main ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Indeed, Erdogan spoke out: “Does anyone say that there is an eagle on the Germany shirt? Does anyone say that there is a rooster on the France shirt? 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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