The Latest Row Between Russia and Turkey Is Over a Putin T-Shirt

A Russian soccer player is facing suspension after he flashed a Putin t-shirt at a game in Turkey on Tuesday.

Screen Shot 2016-02-17 at 12.34.12 PM
Screen Shot 2016-02-17 at 12.34.12 PM

Relations between Turkey and Russia are in free-fall: Turkey shot down a Russian jet in November, Russia in turn accused Turkey of bolstering the Islamic State, and now Ankara is blaming Moscow for using airstrikes to back up the Kurdish groups that they fear will try to take over more territory near the Turkish border.

Relations between Turkey and Russia are in free-fall: Turkey shot down a Russian jet in November, Russia in turn accused Turkey of bolstering the Islamic State, and now Ankara is blaming Moscow for using airstrikes to back up the Kurdish groups that they fear will try to take over more territory near the Turkish border.

So maybe Tuesday was not the best time for Russian soccer player Dmitri Tarasov to rip off his jersey after losing 2-0 to a Turkish soccer club, only to reveal a photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin on his undershirt.

Beneath the picture of Putin in his army fatigues, the Russian caption said “The Most Polite President” — a reference to the Russian forces who invaded Crimea in 2014 and were nicknamed “polite people.”

Even if Turkish fans took the home the win, they certainly didn’t appreciate Tarasov’s gesture on their home turf in Istanbul.  

Neither did the Union of European Football Associations, which charged Tarasov and his team, Lokomotiv Moscow, with improper conduct Wednesday. UEFA bans “all forms of ideological, political, or religious propaganda” — and apparently considered Tarasov’s gesture to be politically motivated. Turkish news outlets have accused him of sparking an intentional provocation.

Tarasov disagrees.

“I didn’t want any provocations, I’m just a patriot of my country, and Putin is the president of our country,” the midfielder told reporters after the match. “This is my president. I respect him and decided to show that I am always with him and is willing to support. This shirt says all that I wanted to say.”

The case will be presented before a UAEA disciplinary panel on Mar. 17, and Tarasov could reportedly be banned for 10 games.

The two countries’ national teams are not slated to face one another in the European Championship this summer.  But Tuesday’s winning team, Turkish club Fenerbahce, will play against Lokomotiv again in Moscow later this month.

No word yet on what Tarasov plans to wear to that match.

Photo Credit: Twitter

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