PARIS (FRANCE) – Players of Istanbul Basaksehir and their rivals Paris St Germain quit the pitch during a Champions League match on Tuesday after the Turkish side blamed an official for a racist comment.
Basaksehir’s assistant coach Pierre Webo was shown a red card for protesting against a refereeing decision and the Turkish side then alleged that the fourth official Sebastian Coltescu used a racist term towards the Cameroonian.
The players from both teams left the field after about 10 minutes of discussions with Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan.
“A complaint from the Basaksehir bench after racist remarks by the fourth official were followed by a coming-together of all 22 players pitch-side,” PSG said in a statement.
“After 10 minutes of explanation, the referee invited both teams to return to their respective changing rooms.”
European soccer’s governing body UEFA, which announced that it will launch an investigation, said in a statement: “Following an alleged incident involving the 4th official, the match was temporarily suspended.”
Basaksehir added on Twitter: “Our players have taken a decision NOT TO go back on the pitch after our Assistant Coach Pierre Webo has been exposed to racist behaviour by the 4th Official.”
The game, which was suspended in the 13th minute, did not resume and UEFA said the rest of the match at the Parc des Princes would be played on Wednesday at 1755 GMT.
“UEFA has – after discussion with both clubs – decided on an exceptional basis to have the remaining minutes of the match played tomorrow with a new team of match officials,” it said.
TV footage showed fourth official Coltescu saying in Romanian: ‘The black one over there. Go and check who he is. The black one over there, it’s not possible to act like that’ after Webo vehemently protested against a refereeing decision.
“Why he say negro?”, Basaksehir substitute Demba Ba repeatedly asked match referee Hategan as confusion reigned on the touchline in the Group H match.
TV footage also showed PSG’s French defender Presnel Kimpembe saying ‘Is he serious? We are heading in. We’re heading in. That’s it, we’re heading in.”
UEFA said it will be conducting a “thorough investigation”.
“Racism, and discrimination in all its forms, has no place within football,” the governing body said in a statement
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter he believed UEFA would take the necessary steps.
“We are unconditionally against racism and discrimination in sports and in all areas of life,” he wrote.