Turkiye summons German ambassador to protest criticism of Demiral’s goal celebration at Euro 2024

Turkiye summons German ambassador to protest criticism of Demiral’s goal celebration at Euro 2024
UEFA has launched an investigation into Turkiye player Merih Demiral’s alleged inappropriate behavior after he celebrated a goal at Euro 2024 by displaying a hand sign associated with an ultra-nationalist group. (AP)
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Updated 03 July 2024
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Turkiye summons German ambassador to protest criticism of Demiral’s goal celebration at Euro 2024

Turkiye summons German ambassador to protest criticism of Demiral’s goal celebration at Euro 2024
  • Türkiye summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday to protest German interior minister Nancy Faeser’s condemnation of Demiral’s goal celebration
  • Faeser urged UEFA to punish the player for making the gesture

LEIPZIG, Germany: A controversial gesture made by Türkiye player Merih Demiral at soccer’s European Championship has ignited a diplomatic brouhaha between the country and host nation Germany.
Türkiye summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday to protest German interior minister Nancy Faeser’s condemnation of Demiral’s goal celebration the night before, when the player displayed a hand sign associated with an ultra-nationalist group.
Demiral scored both goals Tuesday in a 2-1 win over Austria to earn Türkiye’s place in the quarterfinals.
After scoring the second goal he made a sign with each hand that is used by Turkish nationalists and associated with the Turkish ultra-nationalist organization Ulku Ocaklari, which is more widely known as the Gray Wolves.
Faeser urged UEFA to punish the player for making the gesture.
“The symbols of Turkish right-wing extremists have no place in our stadiums. Using the soccer European Championship as a platform for racism is completely unacceptable,” Faeser said on X.
Federal minister Cem Özdemir, a German politician of Turkish descent, said Demiral’s gesture is “extreme right” and “stands for terror, fascism.”
UEFA said it was investigating Demiral’s “alleged inappropriate behavior.” The soccer body did not outline when the case might conclude. Türkiye’s next game is against the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday.
The spokesman for Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party, Omer Celik, said Faeser’s comments and UEFA’s investigation are “unacceptable.”
“It would be more appropriate for those looking for racism and fascism to focus on the recent election results in different European countries,” Celik wrote on X.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the investigation as a politically motivated reaction “to the use of a historical and cultural symbol” during the goal celebration.
A ministry statement said the gesture is not banned in Germany and noted that the German authority which safeguards the constitution had ruled in September 2023 that not everyone making the Gray Wolf sign could be classified as a far-right extremist.
“We consider that the reactions shown by the German authorities toward Mr. Demiral themselves contain xenophobia,” the ministry said.
After Tuesday’s game, Demiral said his gesture was an innocent expression of his national pride and that there was “no hidden message or anything of the sort.”
The player said he had the celebration in mind before scoring.
“It has to do with this Turkish identity, because I’m very proud to be a Turk. And I felt that to the fullest after the second goal. So that’s how I ended up doing that gesture. I’m very happy that I did that,” Demiral said. “I saw people in the stadium who were doing that sign. So that reminded me that I also had that in mind.”
Later, he was asked again about the gesture.
“How can I explain this?” he replied. “Of course we’re all Turkish. We’re all Turks in Turkiye. We’re very proud. I’m very proud as a person to be a Turk. So that’s what I did. That was the meaning of the gesture. It’s quite normal.”
Demiral said he hoped he’d get “more opportunities to do the same gesture again.”
Demiral was previously one of 16 Turkiye players reprimanded in 2019 for making military-style salutes at games at a time when the country was conducting a military offensive in Syria.
The Gray Wolves group was founded as the youth wing of Türkiye’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, which is currently in an alliance with Erdogan’s ruling party, the Justice and Development Party.
In the decades following its founding in the 1960s, the group was accused of involvement in politically motivated violence, mostly against leftist groups.
MHP leader Devlet Bahceli on Wednesday condemned UEFA’s investigation into Demiral’s gesture as “biased and wrong.”
“The Gray Wolf sign made by our son, Merih, after netting the ball is the Turkish nation’s message to the world,” Bahceli wrote on X. The nationalist leader urged calm, saying the Turkish team’s “struggle on the field should not go to waste.”
Germany’s federal domestic agency monitors the Gray Wolves group’s activities. Authorities estimate it has around 12,100 members in the country.
The group has been banned in France, while Austria has banned the use of the Gray Wolf salute.


Pulisic leads list of US absentees for Gold Cup

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Pulisic leads list of US absentees for Gold Cup

Pulisic leads list of US absentees for Gold Cup
Pulisic plans to take a break following a demanding season with his Serie A club
Fellow Milan midfielder Yunus Musah and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson were also left out of the squad

ROME: AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic will miss next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, leading a group of notable absentees from Mauricio Pochettino’s 27-man US squad announced on Thursday.

Pulisic plans to take a break following a demanding season with his Serie A club, where he featured in 49 matches across all competitions, tallying up 17 goals and 12 assists, while dealing with some minor injuries.

“Christian and his team approached the federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break,” US Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said in a statement.

“We made the collective decision that this is the right moment for him to get the rest he needs. The objective is to ensure he’s fully prepared to perform at the highest level next season.”

Fellow Milan midfielder Yunus Musah and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson were also left out of the squad, while Juventus pair Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, along with Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna, will be unavailable due to their clubs’ participation in the Club World Cup in the US which starts on June 15.

Defenders Alex Freeman and Quinn Sullivan, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and forward Damion Down have all received their first senior call-ups.

“As we continue preparations for the World Cup, this is a fantastic opportunity to work with this group of players for an extended period and it’s important we take advantage of every moment,” Argentine manager Pochettino said.

“Of course, we want to win and to perform in a very good way. These players have earned the chance to compete for our fans and to show their quality and mentality.”

The US host Turkiye on June 7 before facing Switzerland three days later, with both friendlies serving as warm-ups ahead of the Gold Cup which runs from June 14 to July 6 in the US and Canada.

PSG sporting director Campos extends contract to 2030

PSG sporting director Campos extends contract to 2030
Updated 22 May 2025
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PSG sporting director Campos extends contract to 2030

PSG sporting director Campos extends contract to 2030
  • Campos “will oversee the sports strategy of the whole QSI group“
  • His existing deal was due to expire at the end of this season

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has extended his contract with the French giants in a boost to the club ahead of the upcoming Champions League final.

In a statement issued on Thursday, PSG’s owners Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) announced that Campos had renewed his contract “for an additional five years until 2030.”

Campos, who is from Portugal and began working with PSG in an official role of football adviser in 2022, “will oversee the sports strategy of the whole QSI group.”

That includes Braga, who finished fourth in this season’s Portuguese league and in whom QSI holds a minority stake.

Campos’s existing deal was due to expire at the end of this season and the announcement is welcome news for PSG as they prepare for the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Munich on May 31.

Before that they face Reims in the French Cup final on Saturday as they bid to complete a clean sweep of the domestic honors in France for the second season running.

Campos previously worked at Monaco and at Lille and has overseen the successful squad rebuild at PSG following the shift away from the superstar approach that led to the signings of Neymar and Lionel Messi.


The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
Updated 22 May 2025
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The enduring legend of Virat Kohli

The enduring legend of Virat Kohli
  • Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness and intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket

Some cricketers possess an unmistakable presence when they walk out to bat. Vivian Richards of the West Indies was one. He swaggered, smiled, oozed confidence and menace, chewed gum and eschewed a helmet in favor of a cap. His style of entrance may have set a precedent for others to build their own individual brands as cricketers in an era of universal television coverage. 

Chris Gayle, another West Indian, the self-styled “Universe Boss,” was one who did that across all formats. An imposing presence as soon as he stepped onto the cricket field, Gayle took to the T20 format very quickly, establishing himself as a free-scoring, aggressive batter to be feared. He also proved himself at Test level, capable of batting at length. In 2010, he batted almost 10 hours in scoring 333 against Sri Lanka, becoming only the fourth batsman to score two Test triples. Both Gayle and Richards now live out of the limelight, their cricketing reputations intact.

In previous eras, the great and charismatic players of the time did not have the media exposure that is available to current players. In the immediate years after 1945, Denis Compton of England and Keith Miller of Australia were two players who excited crowds with their charisma, becoming icons at a time of national recovery from war. Compton was one of the first cricketers to be used in consumer advertising, as the face of Brylcreem, a hair cream. 

It is now commonplace for cricketers to endorse consumer products, other than cricket equipment. A number of them have developed their own brand values. An outstanding example of this is Virat Kohli, who has transcended his ability as a cricketer to become an international icon. His decision to retire from Test cricket, announced on Instagram on May 12 to 271 million followers, has sparked a deluge of tributes. These have focussed on his place in the game and his contribution to it, especially to Test cricket, for which he has been an outspoken champion. 

In this respect, it is a disappointment to many that Kohli will not be a part of the Indian team that will play five Tests in England between June 20 and Aug. 4. Neither will his successor as captain, Rohit Sharma, who also announced his retirement from Test cricket on May 7. Both players retired from international T20 cricket after India won the T20 World Cup in June 2024, under Sharma’s captaincy. The two were different in both batting and leadership styles but have been instrumental in guiding India to recent trophy success.

Sharma retires with 4,301 runs in 67 Test matches, averaging 40.57. His recent form has been poor, having made only one 50 in 15 innings since his last Test hundred against England in Dharamsala in March 2024. Sharma was captain in 2024, when India was surprisingly beaten 3-0 at home by New Zealand and 3-1 away by Australia, where he sat out the decisive fifth Test in Sydney. In the same series, Kohli, although scoring a hundred in the first Test, endured a dip in form. His frustrations at what appeared to be waning abilities surfaced in an unseemly incident during the fourth Test at Melbourne. 

At the end of the tenth over of Australia’s innings, 19-year-old debutant, Sam Konstas, walked toward his opening partner at the non-striker’s end. He was looking at his gloves, when Kohli, who was walking in the opposite direction from his fielding position, made shoulder contact with Konstas. Commentators remarked that Kohli had walked one whole pitch over to his right and appeared to have instigated the confrontation.

Kohli was sanctioned for a breach of conduct and fined 20 percent of his match fees, which he accepted. Perhaps the act was that of an aging lion attempting to curb a rising cub, of whose talent he was envious. Kohli’s cricketing persona has been one of aggressiveness, intensity, always eager to join the fray and whip up his team to greater heights, more in the manner of soccer than cricket.

This has not endeared him to opposition supporters. I have witnessed and heard comments by English supporters that have been uncomplimentary — not that Kohli has been afraid to take on opposition supporters with words and provocative gestures. There has always been a sense that he has escaped censure for transgressions and acts for which others would have received punishment.

On the field, whether fielding, captaining or batting, Kohli’s presence and actions were ones that demanded attention. His passion for Test cricket shone through, as evidenced in his retirement statement in which he said, “I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for. I’ll always look back at my Test career with a smile.”

In it, Kohli scored 9,230 runs in 123 Tests to stand fourth in India’s all-time list of Test run-scorers after Tendulkar, Dravid and Gavaskar. He also captained India in 68 of his Tests, winning 40 of them, which makes him the country’s most successful leader in the format. Such a record is a reflection not only of his hunger for runs, but his desire to win and for those around him to strive for excellence. His own commitment to physical fitness has become legendary and aspirational for young Indians, who seek to emulate his appearance.

It is not clear if there was any single reason for Kohli’s decision to retire. One consideration is form. The Test hundred in Australia last November was his first in 15 innings in the previous 16 months. In Australia, he scored 190 runs in nine innings, averaging just 23.75, which compares with a final Test average of 46.85. Since January 2020, he has averaged 30.72, scoring only three centuries in 39 Tests. Another consideration was the curbing, by the national board, of the size and composition of the support groups for players while on tour. One factor that does not seem to have been widely discussed is the impact of Sharma’s retirement.

Of course, Kohli has not slipped into the shadows. In IPL 2025, he has scored more than 500 runs and he still wishes to play ODI cricket for India. His retirement appears to be a carefully managed process. Off the field, his brand value and product endorsement strategy has been carefully curated to mirror his fitness-oriented lifestyle, fashion sense, family orientation and appeal across the whole Indian demographic. Kohli has also invested in a number of start-up ventures to ensure exposure outside of mainstream advertising. Unlike other famous cricketers, he will not be living quietly in retirement. 

There is little doubt that Virat Kohli has an aura about him on and off the pitch. He leaves a huge gap in the Test arena and there is a worry that his advocacy of it may not be continued by his successors. Kohli has said that, “There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no-one sees but that stay with you forever.” Self-reflection is not a characteristic that springs immediately to mind about Kohli, who admits that the journey has “tested me, shaped me and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life.” He leaves an indelible mark on both Indian and global cricket in which his stature was invariably imperial, not just when going out to bat.       


How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague

How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague
Updated 22 May 2025
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How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague

How Al-Qadsiah Esports went from underdogs to contenders in Saudi eLeague
  • Newcomers clinched 4 titles across 9 tournaments, challenging established giants Twisted Minds and Team Falcons
  • Al-Qadsiah Esports rose to second place in elite rankings after victories in top titles

RIYADH: Al-Qadsiah Esports has made a powerful entrance into the 2025 Saudi eLeague, the Kingdom’s premier esports league organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena. With standout performances across multiple titles, Al-Qadsiah has quickly established itself as one of the strongest teams in the league, announcing loud and clear that they are not just taking part, but aiming to dominate.

In a blistering start to the 2025 Saudi eLeague season, which featured nine tournaments, Al-Qadsiah stormed through the field to seize four championship titles, sending a clear message to every club in the league. Their elite roster dominated Major 1 elite tournaments in EA SPORTS FC 25, Overwatch 2 and Valorant, showcasing talent, strategic depth and multi-genre versatility that few teams could match.

Further cementing their dominance, Al-Qadsiah Corals, the organization’s female team, secured their first title in Overwatch 2 Major 1 Female, defeating Twisted Minds Orchid in a dramatic 4–3 final, marking a milestone moment in the club’s growing legacy.

Abdullah Al-Nasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation said: “Al-Qadsiah Esports has delivered the kind of breakout performance that captures exactly what the Saudi eLeagues were built to showcase. Their rise isn’t just a win for the club, it’s a signal of how far local talent has come, and how fiercely it’s beginning to compete. The growth we’re witnessing across the league reflects a deeper ecosystem maturing fast. Our vision is to see more Saudi clubs not just show up, but rise, lead, and make their mark on both regional and global stages.”

Al-Qadsiah’s performance places them second on the Saudi eLeague Clubs Cross Game Leaderboard, positioned between two of the most dominant names in Saudi esports, with Twisted Minds holding the top spot and Team Falcons trailing in third. The breakout momentum from Al-Qadsiah signals a clear shift in the competitive balance of the Saudi eLeague, as a new wave of Saudi teams rise through the ranks, challenging the longstanding hierarchy and reshaping the competitive scene within the Kingdom.

With momentum building and eyes on the top spot, all signs point to Al-Qadsiah pushing for the throne.


French Open odds against tennis great Novak Djokovic as time running out for record 25th Slam

French Open odds against tennis great Novak Djokovic as time running out for record 25th Slam
Updated 22 May 2025
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French Open odds against tennis great Novak Djokovic as time running out for record 25th Slam

French Open odds against tennis great Novak Djokovic as time running out for record 25th Slam
  • The 38-year-old Serbian’s bid for a fourth French Open crown looks more unlikely than in many years
  • Djokovic struggling for form since his run to the Australian Open semifinals back in January before retiring injured

BERLIN: If there is one tennis player who knows how to beat the odds when they are stacked against him, it is 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
The 38-year-old Serbian’s bid for a fourth French Open crown looks more unlikely than in many years, with Djokovic struggling for form since his run to the Australian Open semifinals back in January before retiring injured.
Since then Djokovic, who has 99 tour titles to his name and is in the twilight of a glorious career, has reached only one final and has not lifted a trophy this year.
After two early losses in Monte Carlo and Madrid, it was clear that Djokovic’s attempt to claim a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam could be his hardest yet.
“(It is) kind of a new reality for me, I have to say, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament,” Djokovic said after his early Madrid exit.
He was expected to jumpstart his clay campaign in Rome before returning to Paris, where he won Olympic gold last year, but he skipped the Italian Open without giving a reason.
Instead he picked up a surprise wild card for the Geneva Open this week, in what looks like a last-ditch attempt to get some more matches on clay under his belt before Paris.
News of the wild card came as Djokovic split with his coach Andy Murray after only a few months working together.
Djokovic appointed fellow former world number one Murray ahead of this year’s Australian Open and the Serb said at the Qatar Open in February that he would continue working with the Scot for an indefinite period.
That time, however, ended abruptly last week with the Djokovic-Murray partnership yielding no titles and one losing final in Miami.
Their partnership is now officially over as Djokovic heads toward the French Open in a cloud of uncertainty over his form and future.
The world number six has struggled to assert his dominance after winning three out of the four Grand Slams in 2023.
There is even more uncertainty over his chances of reaching the last major goal in his illustrious career: adding that elusive 25th record Grand Slam to his collection to move past Margaret Court on the all-time winners’ list.