Sculpture Depicting Wolf Salute Erects in Honor of Turkish Footballer Demiral
The delight displayed by Turkish footballer Merih Demiral's wolf salute during the Euro football tournament sparked controversies. However, Demiral received a monument in his native Turkey as a token of appreciation. A statue of the footballer, displaying the wolf salute in his national team attire, was unveiled in the western Turkish city of Bolu. This was revealed by the city's mayor in a video posted on the X platform.
Demiral performed the wolf salute following a goal. UEFA subsequently suspended him for two matches. During the EM quarter-final between Turkey and the Netherlands in Berlin, thousands of fans mimicked the gesture while the Turkish national anthem was played, raising their hands in the Olympic Stadium.
The wolf salute is commonly associated with the Turkish far-right Ülkücü movement and its ideology. In Turkey, the ultranationalist MHP party, which is part of the ruling government under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, uses the salute.
The statue's concept originated from the city's mayor, known for his nationalist sentiments and anti-refugee remarks. He justified the statue by dismissing claims that the wolf salute represented the MHP and Grey Wolves, instead referring to it as a symbol of "Turkishness." Demiral reportedly consented to the project prior to its execution.
In an interview with ntv.de in July, Kamal Sido from the "Society for Threatened Peoples" asserted that the wolf salute bears the same connotations as the Hitler salute. Regarding the Grey Wolves, Sido stated, "Their official policy is the creation of a Greater Turkey, from China to Vienna. This Greater Turkey would mean, at the very least, expulsion and genocide against Armenians, Kurds, or Greeks." The Grey Wolves have been involved in numerous killings and attacks against non-Turkish and non-Muslim Sunni minority groups, not only in Turkey but also outside its borders, in recent years.
The controversy surrounding The Nationalism represented by Merih Demiral's wolf salute continued, as even UEFA sanctioned him for the gesture. Despite this, the city of Bolu, known for its mayor's nationalist sentiments, chose to honor Demiral with a monument, interpreting the wolf salute as a symbol of "Turkishness."
