Türkiye has expressed deep regret over UEFA's decision to suspend national team player Merih Demiral, following an incident in a recent match.
UEFA has banned Turkish footballer Merih Demiral for two matches due to Demiral's "Grey Wolf" gesture while celebrating a goal at EURO 2024 in the match with Austria on Tuesday.
"This decision has caused deep disappointment among our citizens, both within Turkey and abroad, and has reinforced the perception that prejudiced behaviour towards foreigners is increasingly prevalent in some European countries," the ministry stated on Friday.
It added that international sports events are designed to bring societies and countries closer together.
Cevdet Yilmaz, Vice President of Türkiye, has also expressed his disapproval of UEFA's ban, calling for a review of the decision, emphasising the need for fairness and understanding in sports.
Yilmaz said in an X post shared on Friday that "The UEFA decision to ban our national football player Merih Demiral for two matches is unacceptable."
"We expect the decision to be reviewed liberally and fairly and the defence file to be examined seriously," the Turkish vice president said.
"The excitement and beauty of football should not be overshadowed by political decisions," Yilmaz added.
If the decision is upheld, Demiral will miss the quarter-final match against the Netherlands and, if Türkiye advances, the semi-final.
The decision, related to Demiral's actions during the EURO 2024 Round of 16 match against Austria has drawn much criticism.
Türkiye's Football Federation (TFF) is working on an appeal against the ruling.
