Turkey president Erdogan strongly condemns racism after PSG-Basaksehir clash is postponed

Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan strongly condemned racism after the Champions League clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir was postponed.

PSG and Turkish visitors Basaksehir will return on Wednesday to complete their match after Tuesday’s Group H meeting was halted amid allegations of racism against the fourth official in Paris.

The fixture was stopped after 13 minutes with both sets of players gathering on the sidelines as Basaksehir substitute Demba Ba remonstrated with fourth official Sebastian Coltescu, saying: “You never said ‘this white guy’. Why, when you mention a black guy, do you have to say ‘this black guy’?”

Both PSG and Basaksehir then left the field and play did not resume for over two hours before the match was called off and pushed back to Wednesday at 18:55 CET (17:55 GMT) – the contest to restart from the 14th minute and with a new refereeing team in place.

Temsilcimiz Başakşehir’in teknik ekibinden Pierre Webo’ya karşı sarf edilen ırkçı sözleri şiddetle kınıyor, UEFA tarafından gereken adımların atılacağına inanıyorum.

Sporda ve hayatın tüm alanlarında ırkçılığa ve ayrımcılığa kayıtsız şartsız karşıyız. #Notoracism

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) December 8, 2020

As UEFA undertake a “thorough investigation”, Turkey leader Erdogan reacted via social media.

“I strongly condemn the racist remarks made against Pierre Webo, member of the technical staff of Basaksehir, and I am convinced that UEFA will take the necessary measures,” Erdogan wrote on Twitter.

“We are unconditionally against racism and discrimination in sport and in all areas of life.”

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

— İstanbul Başakşehir (@ibfk2014) December 8, 2020

Erdogan’s minister for sport Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu also tweeted: “Racism is a crime against humanity! We are alongside our representative Basaksehir.”

Meanwhile, France’s minister for sport Roxana Maracineanu wrote: “Tonight, athletes took a historic decision in the face of an attitude they deemed unacceptable. An expression of ordinary racism.

“We are awaiting the results of the investigation but I can only salute the strong symbolism of their gesture and their solidarity.”