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.
UEFA sanctions?
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 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.