By David Owen
October 14 – French politicians are calling for tonight’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Turkey to be called off, in the wake of the Turkish players’ recent military-style salute after scoring against Albania.
Jean-Christophe Lagarde, president of the centrist UDI, asserted in a tweet that “with this military salute, the Turkish football team has alas broken the border that must separate sport from politics”.
Lagarde continued: “We cannot decently welcome tomorrow at the Stade de France those who salute the massacre of our Kurdish allies!”
French current affairs magazine Paris Match cited other politicians raising similar objections. Eric Ciotti of the centre-right LR was said to have urged interior minister Christophe Castaner to “take his responsabilities”, calling on him to “suspend” the match on security grounds, “taking into account the tension that exists”.
Even the far-right populist Rassemblement National joined in, with vice-president Jordan Bardella stating that “football should not serve Erdogan’s propaganda”. He added: “It is unthinkable that Turkish players should make the military salute on our territory”.
Turkey last week launched a major offensive against Kurdish forces in northern Syria, in the wake of a recent US announcement that all American troops in the region would leave.
The move was quickly condemned by French President Emmanuel Macron, who tweeted – in English: “I most firmly condemn the unilateral military offensive that is underway in Syria. I call on Turkey to put an end to it as quickly as possible. Turkey’s action poses a humanitarian risk to millions of people.”
UEFA has said following the salute that it would examine the situation. Turkey and France are well clear in group H after seven matches, with 18 points each.
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