The issue concerns alleged inappropriate behavior by the 26-year-old, UEFA announced on Wednesday morning. If Demiral is punished, he could face consequences for the upcoming quarter-final against the Netherlands.
Image: RONNY HARTMANN (APA/AFP/RONNY HARTMANN)
“}”>
Image: RONNY HARTMANN (APA/AFP/RONNY HARTMANN)
After his second goal on Tuesday evening in the Leipzig stadium, Demiral made the so-called wolf salute with both hands, a hand sign and symbol of the “Grey Wolves”. The “Grey Wolves” are the name given to the supporters of the right-wing extremist “Ülkücü movement”, which is monitored in Germany by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In Turkey, the ultra-nationalist MHP is their political representative and an ally of the Islamic-conservative AKP of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Demiral had explained that the way he celebrated had something to do with his “Turkish identity”. Human rights activists strongly criticized the celebrations. Turkey will play in Berlin on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals of the European Championship.