Signed jersey from Merih Demiral to the MHP

Turkey defeated Austria 2-1 with goals from Merih Demiral, advancing to the quarterfinals of the European Football Championship (EURO 2024) and matching up with the Netherlands. However, the goal celebration overshadowed the national team's victory.

National football player Merih Demiral made a "wolf gesture" after scoring his second goal in the Turkey-Austria match played last night.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) launched an investigation, claiming that the "wolf" gesture was "inappropriate behavior." The statement noted that the investigation was opened in accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. The article in question prohibits "all forms of behavior that contain political, ideological, religious, or racial propaganda" on football pitches.

Demiral shared a video on his Instagram account showing the two goals he scored against Austria and his goal celebrations, adding the following message: "Good morning, my Turkey. How happy is the one who says I am a Turk."

In his statement after the match, Merih Demiral said that he was not trying to send any message with the wolf gesture he used to celebrate his goal. The national player said, "I had a goal celebration in mind, and I did it; it is related to Turkishness. I am very proud to be a Turk, so I felt it to my core after the goal. I wanted to do something like that, and I am very happy that I did."

BAHÇELİ: A WAYSTATION FOR CHAINED PROVOCATIONS

Reactions to the UEFA investigation came from politicians.

AKP Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said, "It would be appropriate for those looking for racism and fascism to focus on the election results in different countries in Europe recently."

The Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) condemned UEFA following the investigation decision and shared a photo of Merih Demiral's "wolf-gestured" goal celebration on his X account.

In his statement on his X account, Devlet Bahçeli stated that Demiral's action disturbed "many sick circles" both inside and outside of Turkey, and that the goal celebration was a pretext for different pursuits and explanations.

Regarding the investigation, Bahçeli said, "It is both intentional and a waystation for chained provocations that have been dangerously gaining ground in recent days."

MHP Secretary General İsmet Büyükataman, on the other hand, explained the "wolf" gesture made by Merih Demiral as a "symbol of Turkishness." Büyükataman published the following message on his social media account: "The scoundrels whose pens are funded by foreign capital, the so-called pseudo-artists, the political extensions of terrorism hostile to the Turkish presence, and fugitive terrorists are shamelessly expressing their discomfort with the Wolf gesture in a chorus," he said, adding, "There is nothing more natural than a national athlete celebrating a national match victory with the symbol of his own nation. For this reason, I strongly condemn UEFA for launching an investigation into our national athlete. This scandalous investigation targets the joy of the entire Turkish nation. The Wolf is the symbol of the Turk, the common value of Turkishness."

MERİH DEMİRAL’S SIGNED JERSEY TO AN MHP MEMBER

Amid the "wolf" gesture debate, Merih Demiral's family's relationship with the MHP has also come to the fore on social media.

Merih Demiral was born in Kocaeli on March 5, 1998. He started playing football at Karamürsel İdman Yurdu, the team of his hometown. Demiral later became a world star with the transfers he made.

Merih Demiral, who never broke his connection with his hometown of Karamürsel and whom his relatives describe as "very loyal," also had his contacts with local MHP politicians become a subject of the "wolf" gesture debate.

Merih Demiral's cousin, Enes Demiral, was an MHP Karamürsel district executive.

MHP Karamürsel District Chairman Adnan Göktekin, together with District Secretary Enes Demiral, had gifted a signed jersey of national football player Merih Demiral to the previous MHP Provincial Chairman, Yunus Emre Kurt. These photos were shared on social media.

Here is that frame: