PSG-Başakşehir match suspended after alleged racist remarks by referee

Photo: AA

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UEFA Champions League match between France's Paris Saint-Germain and Turkey's Başakşehir FK last night (December 8) was paused after an alleged racist remark targeting Başakşehir's technical staff.

In the 17th minute of the match at Parc des Princes, Başakşehir assistant manager Pierre Webo from Cameroon argued with the referee of the match about a position.

But the fourth official warned the referee to send him off. Webo claimed that he faced a racist remark from the 4th official. The team went to the dressing room to protest the official.

The match will resume tonight.

NO TO RACISM | #Respect pic.twitter.com/Ic1BzfANoi

— İstanbul Başakşehir (@ibfk2014) December 8, 2020

Following the incident, the UEFA said that it would conduct a thorough investigation.

UEFA is aware of an incident during tonight's Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir and will be conducting a thorough investigation," it said on Twitter.

It added that "racism, discrimination in all its forms, has no place within football."

Başakşehir's chairman Göksel Gümüşdağ said that the team will not return from the dressing room if the fourth official stays on the pitch amid alleged racist remarks against Webo.

Gümüşdağ added that the fourth official was discharged from his duty for Wednesday's game.

Başakşehir football club said players refuse to play in PSG game amid racist remarks by the fourth official against assistant manager Webo.

Başakşehir's CEO Mustafa Eröğüt said the match will resume on Wednesday evening, all four officials of the game will be changed.

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe tweeted: "SAY NO TO RACISM. M.WEBO WE ARE WITH YOU." on his post, while the team's 25-year-old defender Presnel Kimpembe sent out a tweet, saying: "No to racism".

SAY NO TO RACISM.

M.WEBO WE ARE WITH YOU.

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) December 8, 2020

Başakşehir also tweeted that they are against racism and shared UEFA's "No to racism" campaign's banner as Paris Saint-Germain has retweeted this post to back Webo.

Turkey's "Big Three," Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş said on Twitter that they are all against racism and support Webo each. (EKN/VK)