The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey reacted strongly to the disciplinary investigation opened by UEFA against national footballer Merih Demiral following the match between the Austrian National Football Team and the Austrian National Football Team played on 2 July as part of the 2024 European Football Championship. In its statement, the Ministry emphasised that the investigation is unacceptable.
In its statement, the Foreign Ministry also referred to the report published by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in September 2023. In the report, it was emphasised that not every bozkurt sign maker could be described as a right-wing extremist and that the bozkurt sign was not a banned symbol in Germany. The Ministry assessed that the reactions shown to Merih Demiral by the German authorities contained xenophobia.
“We condemn politically motivated reactions”
“It is unacceptable that UEFA opened a disciplinary investigation against our national footballer Merih Demiral after the football match played yesterday (2 July) between our National A Football Team and Austria National A Football Team within the scope of the 2024 European Football Championship.
On the other hand, while the report published by the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in September 2023 emphasised that not every person who makes the “bozkurt” sign can be labelled as a right-wing extremist and while the “bozkurt” sign is not a banned symbol in Germany, the reactions shown to Mr Demiral by the German authorities are considered to be xenophobic in themselves.
We condemn the politically motivated reactions to the use of a historical and cultural symbol during the celebration of joy at a sporting event in a way that does not target anyone.”