2024-07-03 18:26:21
Turkey’s Demiral uses the symbolism of the Gray Wolves in the 2-1 win against Austria. In doing so, it draws attention to Turkey’s right-wing extremism and creates tension between Berlin and Ankara.
This gesture will be remembered: Merih Demiral shows the wolf salute during the Turks’ 2-1 win against Austria.
With his two goals in the round of 16 of the European Championship against Austria, Merih Demiral could be the sporting hero of the Turks. His team won the game 2-1 on Tuesday evening. But the defender will be remembered for a political gesture. In Leipzig, Demiral brought his fingers together in the wolf salute, a symbol of the far-right Gray Wolves. He himself did not want to see it as a provocation. “We are all Turkish, I am very proud of Turkey and that is the meaning of this movement,” said the 26-year-old. “I just wanted to show how happy I am and how proud I am.”
That gesture led to political tension between Germany and Turkey. After Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser sharply criticized the greeting, Turkey called the German ambassador to Ankara.
to normalize nationalism
Merih Demiral said he saw many people in the stadium who also saluted the wolf. And that doesn’t just apply to Leipzig. Experts dealing with the Gray Wolves also documented the chants, tattoos and flags of the Turkish ultranationalist movement at the Turkish team’s preliminary matches, twice in Dortmund and once in Hamburg. “Football is an important platform for the Gray Wolves to recruit new members,” says Duisburg educator Burak Yilmaz. “In this happy atmosphere they can normalize their symbols.”
For many people in Turkey and for many people of Turkish origin in Western Europe, the wolf salute is a common way of expressing their nationalism. But experts like Burak Yilmaz do not want to accept this and point out the dangerous consequences. Since the beginning of their movement in the 1970s, supporters of the Gray Wolves have repeatedly carried out physical attacks, especially against Kurds and Alevi. For many years, the Gray Wolves in Turkey have been working with the right-wing extremist MHP, the Nationalist Movement Party.
Right, nothing wrong #WolfGreeting hidden. His message is right-wing extremist, he stands for terror and fascism. This is tiring to discuss. @UEFA Consequences must be drawn.https://t.co/LsJo3MSvC1
— Cem Özdemir (@cem_oezdemir) July 3, 2024
These networks also play an important role in the German-Turkish community. Especially in the Ruhr area, the Gray Wolves are closely networked with mosque communities, cultural associations and local football clubs. In his social networks you come across links with the right-wing extremist party MHP and with Turkish musicians who glorify violence. Some sports clubs call themselves “Turanspor”. Turan is considered synonymous with the Great Turkish Empire.
The footballer Merih Demiral’s gesture will spark a debate in Germany that is already more intense in other countries. In France, the Council of Ministers has already ordered the disbanding of the Gray Wolves in 2020. Gray wolf signs, including the Wolf Greeting, have been banned in Austria since 2019. However, old networks still exist. And there are also legal concerns in Germany: the Gray Wolves are not a centrally organized party, but a branch movement with various associations and clubs.
UEFA is investigating: Demiral is likely to be banned
“We also need more education and prevention in football,” says political scientist Mahir Tokatli, who teaches and does research at RWTH Aachen. Although football associations such as Uefa and the German Football Association (DFB) have now launched several campaigns and educational offers against racism and anti-Semitism, Turkish right-wing extremism hardly plays a role in this. In Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia has only one reporting point on this topic in football, but this project is managed by only one person and is limited in time.
Merih Demiral’s wolf blessing could now help ensure that more money and energy is invested in football education. More illustrative examples may be added soon. Because on Saturday Turkey will play in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Merih Demiral will probably be watching. He is being investigated by UEFA and is likely to face a ban.
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