UEFA suspends Turkey's Demiral for two matches over wolf salute

UEFA says it has suspended Turkey player Merih Demiral for two matches for making the controversial wolf salute during a Euro 2024 match.

The ruling body said it sactioned the defender "for failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sports events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football into disrepute."

Demiral made the gesture, mimicking with his fingers the shape of a wolf's head, after his second goal in a 2-1 victory over Austria in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

The controversial gesture is attributed, among other things, to a right-wing extremist movement. The movement known as “Ülkücü” or “grey wolves” are linked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's political allies, the ultra-nationalist MHP in Turkey.

Demiral said he only wanted to express that he was proud to be Turkish and that there was no hidden message behind it. He will miss Saturday's quarter-final and the next match, either the semi-final or another UEFA match.