UEFA suspension of Demiral shows double standards: Lawyer

The two-match ban handed by UEFA to Turkish national team football player Merih Demiral over his celebratory gesture after the Euro 2024 last 16 game with Austria indicates double standards of the football body, a sports lawyer said Friday. The punishment is 'clearly excessive, unjust, and beyond legal boundaries,' Anıl Dinçer, who heads the legal department of Turkish football club Samsunspor, told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an exclusive interview. Dinçer said the UEFA decision does not align with legal sanctions and precedents, emphasizing that there should not be such a penalty on a footballer celebrating a symbol of national and spiritual significance. He argued there were similar instances during other matches, but most did not even elicit an investigation, let alone punishment, highlighting an anti-Turkish stance by European officials. Swiss footballer Xherdan Shaqiri made the eagle gesture during a match against Serbia, while Dutch footballer Wout Weghorst made a lion's paw gesture after scoring a goal. Even more egregious, Dusan Tadic, who plays in our country [in Super Lig], made the Chetnik salute during Serbia's match against Montenegro. He said no lawyer or disciplinary committee could justify this decision as fair or lawful. 'First and foremost, there must be consistency in law. Decisions must align with each other. In the previous instances I've mentioned, there wasn't even an investigation or a decision taken. Let's set all that aside; even the British themselves would admit that Bellingham should receive a harsher punishment than Merih.' 'Any conscientious person who trusts in justice, equality, and pursuing fairness will understand that there are double standards, discrimination, and ill-intent behind this decision, which is politically motivated against Türkiye,' the lawyer said. 'Unfortunately, there is a sensitive issue in Europe, especially concerning discrimination and racism, which UEFA is aware of. However, Türkiye is the country facing discrimination and double standards here. UEFA has made a discriminatory decision against Türkiye.' Provocation warning for Turkish supporters Dinçer urged the Turkish fans who will attend Saturday's quarterfinal match against the Netherlands in Berlin to show their reactions without falling into provocation. 'Let's register our protest within legal limits. Let's support our players. Our players will respond beautifully to this ... I am sure tomorrow we will achieve a beautiful victory and give the best answer on the field,' he said. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will also attend the match.