Devlet Bahçeli: Turkey should not play in the Netherlands match

In the EURO 2024 European Football Championship round of 16 match, our National Team defeated Austria 2-1 with goals scored by Merih Demiral. After his goals, Merih celebrated with the 'grey wolf' (bozkurt) salute. Following this gesture, UEFA handed Merih a 2-match suspension. After this decision by UEFA, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli reacted to the penalty given to Merih.

Devlet Bahçeli's statement is as follows:

''The two-match suspension handed down by UEFA regarding our National Footballer Merih Demiral, who shared the Grey Wolf sign with justified pride and joy after the goal he scored in the Turkey-Austria football match, and the fact that the path to appeal has been closed, is a scandalous decision that is impossible to approve or tolerate.

At the same time, the infiltration of racist and fascist tendencies into UEFA is a primitiveness that should be a source of shame.

The Grey Wolf symbol is the existential honor of Turkishness and a common value that brings the past and the future together. Indeed, showing intolerance toward this value is a disgusting manifestation of the incurable hostility harbored against the Turkish nation and the disgrace of smearing Turkish history.

Although UEFA approaches similar decisions regarding the players of some countries with a very broad-minded and tolerant attitude, it could not hide its hatred when the turn came to a Turkish footballer.

A black mark has been left on world football, and a shadow has been cast over the 2024 European Championship.

However, the 'crazy Turks' have the determination and faith to overcome every obstacle. 85 million Turkish citizens stand behind our A National Football Team with their prayers, support, and cheers.

At this stage we have reached, it is a moral and national expectation that our A National Football Team does not take the field for the Netherlands match and demonstrates its democratic protest, which is a right, in this way, until UEFA withdraws its shameful decision that is a clear disrespect to the historical heritage of the Turkish nation.

If UEFA does not abandon its sloppy decision, leaving the Netherlands alone on the field and our A National Football Team returning to Turkey will be the option most appropriate to our national dignity.

A success achieved by bowing down, making concessions, and surrendering is, in every sense, the masking of defeat and humiliation.

We stand with our son Merih and all our national footballers to the end.

We are one, we are together, we are all Turkey, we are the Turkish nation.''

UEFA’nın, Türkiye-Avusturya futbol müsabakasında attığı golden sonra Bozkurt işaretini haklı gurur ve sevinç içinde paylaşan Milli Futbolcumuz Merih Demiral’la ilgili aldığı iki maç men cezası, üstelik itiraz yolunun kapatılması tasvibi ve tahammülü imkansız skandal bir karardır.…

— Devlet Bahçeli (@dbdevletbahceli) July 5, 2024

News Source: 12punto