European Football Championship - Erdogan in the stadium after wolf salute scandal at Turkey game
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as expected, traveled to Berlin to support his team in the EM quarter-final against the Netherlands following the Wolfsgruss controversy. Sitting together with his wife Emine in the Berlin Olympic Stadium tribune, Erdogan arrived just before kick-off and was scheduled to return immediately afterwards. He had cancelled his planned trip to Azerbaijan for this short visit, according to informed sources reported by the German Press Agency.
Team manager Hamit Altintop stated that Erdogan's visit had nothing to do with the Wolfsgruss incident or the UEFA decision. "This was already planned that our prime minister would attend this game. It has nothing to do with the incident or the UEFA decision," Altintop said at MagentaTV, a former Bundesliga professional.
Erdogan considers criticism excessive
Turkish national player Merih Demiral showed the so-called Wolfsgruss gesture after scoring his second goal in Leipzig during the 2:1 victory against Austria in the round of 16. The UEFA suspended the 26-year-old for two games in response.
Erdogan apparently considers the criticism of the Wolfsgruss gesture by the Turkish national player excessive. The player only showed his "excitement," Erdogan stated according to the state news agency Anadolu.
The Wolfsgruss symbol typically expresses allegiance or sympathy with the Turkish ultra-nationalist Ułkuçu movement and its ideology. In Turkey, it is used by the ultranationalist MHP party, which is a partner in the Erdogan government.
- Despite the controversy surrounding the Wolfsgruss incident, Hamit Altintop, the team manager, assured that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attendance at the EM quarter-final against the Netherlands was not related.
- Erdogan, accompanied by his wife Emine, made a brief visit to the Olympic Stadium Berlin in Berlin to support Turkey during the European Football Championship match.
- The German Press Agency reported that Erdogan had originally planned to travel to Azerbaijan but canceled his trip to make this short visit to Berlin.
- Despite criticism over the Wolfsgruss gesture displayed by Turkish national player Merih Demiral during the round of 16 match against Austria, Erdogan considered the player's actions as an expression of excitement.
- The UEFA suspended Merih Demiral for two games as a consequence of the Wolfsgruss gesture, a symbol typically associated with the Turkish ultra-nationalist Ułkuçu movement and its ideology.
- The ultra-nationalist MHP party, a partner in the Erdogan government, routinely uses the Wolfsgruss symbol in Turkey.
- During the EM quarter-final match between Germany and Turkey at the Olympic Stadium Berlin, tensions were high due to extreme fan behavior, which further emphasized the controversy surrounding the Wolfsgruss gesture and Erdogan's controversial visit.
