Turkish national player Merih Demiral has been immortalized in a statue displaying the controversial wolf salute following a heated debate during the European Football Championship. The monument was unveiled in the western Turkish city of Bolu, as shown in a video shared by the city’s mayor on social media platform X.
Demiral, 26, had performed the wolf salute after scoring a goal during the tournament, leading to a two-match ban from UEFA. The gesture is typically associated with the Turkish nationalist Ülkücü movement and its ideology and is used by the ultra-nationalist MHP party, a partner in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
The statue’s creation was initiated by Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan, known for his nationalist stance and anti-refugee rhetoric. Özcan defended the statue, claiming it was “a big lie” that the wolf salute symbolized the MHP and the Grey Wolves. Instead, he argued it represents “Turkishness”. The mayor stated that Demiral had given prior approval for the statue.
President Erdogan had previously criticized UEFA’s decision to ban Demiral, calling it “inexplicable” and “purely political”. He further claimed that the punishment was directed at “Turkey as a nation” rather than being a sporting decision.
The statue and the surrounding controversy highlight the ongoing tension between nationalist symbols in Turkish society and their perception in international sporting events. It also underscores the complex relationship between sports, politics, and national identity in Turkey.
This incident continues to fuel debates about the use of political gestures in sports and the interpretation of cultural symbols across different contexts.
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