Paris (AFP)
The Turkish players celebrated their equalizing goal against France (1-1) of a controversial military salute during the Euro-2020 qualifier on Monday at the Stade de France, an image not shown live on television.
After the tying goal of Kaan Ayhan, at least seven players from the team gathered near the corner post to pose, with the outstretched right hand resting on the front, in support of the soldiers engaged in the Turkish offensive in Syria against Kurdish forces, offensive that sparked an international outcry.
The Turkish team renewed this gesture, taken up by their supporters in the rostrum at the end of the match. But the images were not broadcast on television, in France as in Turkey, which provoked some reactions.
Indignant that the broadcaster does not show the celebration of Turkish players, commentator Turkish State TV TRT said: "Why do not they show the military salute? It's beautiful, why do not they show it "What's the difference? We're coming home from France with first place!"
The picture of the Turkish players doing the military salute spread quickly on social networks. Several ministers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shared it. This is particularly the case of the Minister of Sports, Mehmet Kasapoglu, who attended the match.
The pro-government media have welcomed the celebration of Turkish players. "The national team gives the most beautiful answers to the hypocritical West! A salute to our military from France," said the channel A Haber on Twitter.
The Turkish players had already made this salute during their previous meeting against Albania on Friday. This irruption of politics in sport could be worthy of Turkey's sanctions on the part of UEFA, which does not usually tolerate such mixtures.
During the meeting, placed under high tension because of the opposition of France to the Turkish offensive, the Turkish fans were noticed in the other direction, applauding the Marseillaise, the French anthem, before the meeting.
The only incident to note in the stands: the deployment of a pro-Kurdish banners at the end of the meeting that sparked whistles and a start of an altercation.
"Stop killing the Kurds," read in red letters on the banner deployed in the 86th minute of the match, in front of the stand of visiting fans.
The people who waved the banner wore jerseys of the France team. They were quickly controlled by the stewards who removed the banner. But it has been read by many Turkish supporters who have, for the most part, heartily whistled, have found journalists from AFP.
An altercation then began to occur at the location of the deployment of the banner, then a few minutes later in another stand of the Stade de France. The security services finally controlled the situation, which returned to calm at the time of the final whistle, inside the stadium.
At the exit of the enclosure, the atmosphere was rather good child with songs in honor of Turkey ("Turkiye, Turkiye") even if an anti-PKK song was briefly intoned.
Another song, "The greatest soldiers, it is ours", was also sung by about thirty supporters who carried a huge flag of Turkey, without incident however.
© 2019 AFP