Ankara (AFP)
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused UEFA of adopting a "discriminatory attitude" against Turkey for having opened a disciplinary investigation after the military salutes made by its players during matches played in the midst of the Turkish offensive in northern Syria.
"The athletes who represent our country abroad are victims of a lynching campaign since the beginning of the operation," Erdogan told a news conference in Ankara.
"We reject the discriminatory, unfair and political attitude against our national team and our clubs," he added.
UEFA announced on October 15 the opening of a disciplinary investigation against Turkey on potential "political provocation" following the military salute made by its players in matches against Albania and France, qualifiers at Euro-2020.
The players of the Turkish team made a military salute after leveling against the French team on 14 October in Paris, a sign of support for the military participating in the Ankara offensive against Kurdish forces in the north of Syria.
This gesture provoked outrage in France, where several politicians had called for the cancellation of the meeting after a first military salute performed by the Turkish players in the match against Albania a few days ago.
The pro-government media in Turkey mocked the controversy, publishing photos showing French striker Antoine Griezmann giving a military salute to President Emmanuel Macron during the presentation of the Legion of Honor to the Blues in June, but also after the final of the World Cup in Russia.
"When one of Macron's athletes makes that gesture in front of him, you're not imposing any penalty on him?" Mr. Erdogan was indignant on Thursday in defending the right of Turkish athletes "to salute our soldiers after a victory".
© 2019 AFP