Hand Gestures, Political Statements, and Football

UEFA has suspended Turkish footballer Merih Demiral for two matches at the EURO 2024 tournament due to his controversial goal celebration involving a hand gesture associated with the far-right "Grey Wolves" movement.

The History and Meaning of the "Grey Wolves" Gesture

The hand gesture Demiral made - with the thumb, middle and ring fingers folded and the index finger and pinky extended - has deep roots in Turkic culture, dating back to the 4th-5th centuries AD. It represents a wolf's head and has been used by various Turkic tribes and empires throughout history as a symbol of Turkish identity and heritage.

However, the "Grey Wolves" organization itself was founded in the 1960s as the paramilitary wing of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Turkey. They have a history of perpetrating violence against dissidents, minorities and Kurds in particular. The Grey Wolves salute is banned in Austria and considered a fascist symbol by some German politicians.

UEFA's Response and Inconsistencies

UEFA condemned Demiral's use of the gesture as a political statement that has no place in sports. They suspended him "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."

However, UEFA's response has not been entirely consistent. In the past, they have not taken action against other players who have made nationalist gestures during matches, such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Dusan Tadic. The disparity in UEFA's treatment of these incidents suggests their response to Demiral may have been influenced by geopolitical factors rather than a clear, consistent policy.

Conclusion

While the "Grey Wolves" gesture has cultural significance, its modern association with far-right extremism makes it inappropriate for use in a sporting event like the EURO 2024 tournament. UEFA was right to condemn the use of extremist symbols, but their uneven application of disciplinary measures undermines the credibility of their stance against political displays in football. Extreme politics and symbols of hate have no place in the beautiful game.

The Bad Tackle

The beautiful game should be spared from political symbolism and propaganda. Especially from extremism. Demiral has a right to defend his action as an expression of nationalist pride. But, it was distasteful, given the modern interpretation and context of the gesture. It is also rude since the host nation finds the symbolism to be inappropriate.

UEFA acted correctly in giving the Turkey international a two-match ban. However, it should be consistent with its rulings. You do not need the help VAR here. There should be no distinction who the offender is.

Take the cases of Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri and Serbia's Dusan Tadic. On separate occassions, the players celebrated with nationalst gestures that offended racial groups. How were those cases different from Demiral's?

To be credible, football governing bodies - Not just UEFA - need to consistency in deciding similar cases. This should be primary in their campaign to stamp out racism in the sport.

Let's talk "cojones" in a later post.