By Victor Kanayo
Despite ongoing diplomatic row, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Germany to his team face Netherlands in Euro 2024 quarterfinal on Saturday.
This is as Ankara and Berlin trade barbs over a Turkish footballer’s celebratory gesture.
Germany summoned Turkey’s ambassador in Berlin on Thursday morning amid a spiralling diplomatic row which erupted after Turkish footballer Merih Demiral made an alleged ultra-nationalist hand sign during his team’s win over Austria, AFP reports.
In a tweet announcing the move, the German foreign ministry said that “as the host of Euro 2024 we want sport to bring people together”.
A day earlier Turkey had summoned the German envoy in Ankara.
After scoring his second goal in Turkey’s 2-1 victory over Austria on Tuesday Demiral made a gesture associated with Turkish ultra-nationalist group Grey Wolves.
His action prompted Uefa to launch a probe for “inappropriate behaviour”, and sparked condemnation from German leaders, but Ankara immediately branded Berlin’s reaction as “xenophobia”.
Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned “the symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums” and said that “using the European football championships as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable”.
While Erdogan himself has not yet weighed in on the row directly, several ministers and the spokesman of his ruling AKP party have condemned Faeser’s reaction.
In the other quarter-final fixture, Portugal will battle France, same day Germany trade tackles with Spain on Friday.
The following day, England will also engage Switzerland in the last four clash.
