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Wednesday’s Champions League clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Basaksehir was interrupted after just 13 minutes of play.
According to several international media, Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu allegedly made racist comments against Basaksehir’s assistant coach, Pierre Webo.
As a result, the Basaksehir players could smell victory in the air. The home team continued willingly and the game had to be stopped.
After a break of more than two hours, it was confirmed that the match has been postponed until Wednesday.
– Why did you say that?
Since the audience is not present at the match, the microphone captured much of the event.
In the match recording, we clearly hear Webo ask the fourth official “why did he say black?” repeatedly.
Webo received a direct red card for the confrontation.
TV 2 soccer expert Erik Thorstvedt calls the case a scandal and believes UEFA should investigate the case further and decide whether it is okay to identify someone with skin color.
– Is it what you said racist, or is it a way of speaking in your mother tongue. I can’t sit here to decide. Anyway, I think the fourth official is finished.
– A very clear sign
Soccer blogger and TV 2 commentator Mina Finstad Berg tells NRK that it is particularly surprising to see the footage of teams leaving the field in Paris, because it happens at the highest level of European club football.
– The fact that it happens as it does tonight is a very, very clear sign. There are players from both teams who react spontaneously to something that is quite obvious that many perceive as uncomfortable.
She says that it seems that several of the players react with a spinal reflex, in solidarity with each other.
– They are together in the teams and they say that they are not in it. It is quite strong. This is also the most powerful tool that players themselves have in the fight against racism. It is their political strike, and the instrument that seems strongest. In that sense, it is a milestone.
Demba Ba (left) argues with teammates and opponents after the incident.
Photo: Franck Fife / AFP
I tried to finish
Confirmation arrived an hour before midnight that the game will be played tomorrow.
Before that, UEFA tried to restart the game by replacing the fourth official with a referee from the VAR bus.
Istanbul Basaksehir still refused to leave the dressing room to complete the match under the command of the Romanian referee, no matter what role he assumed.
Two Norwegians approached the situation. Fredrik Gulbrandsen started the game for the Turkish club and Jon Skjervold has been appointed as observer referee for the deal.
Demba Ba reacted strongly
Berg does not think it is a coincidence that it is precisely Demba Berg who reacts so strongly to the fourth official’s wording.
Ba has parents from Senegal, but was born in France and grew up a stone’s throw from PSG’s home.
– He is a “banlieu” boy (boy from the suburbs, journal. Note) and he speaks for a lot of boys from the suburbs of Paris, who experience what he points out every day, that their skin color is always pointed out , she says. and add:
– I do not think it is a coincidence that he is so clear about it, and that he speaks for himself.
– The symbol effect can be huge
Berg says that the symbolic effect of the incident depends somewhat on the aftermath.
– In any case, there is a very strong signal that the players are leaving the field in this way. It will be exciting to see what happens with the game. Basaksehir has made it very clear that he does not want to play the game while this fourth official is involved. Here, the players have drawn a line and given up. That symbolic effect can be absolutely huge.
Racism has also been a theme in Norwegian football recently.
This season, among other things, Kristiansund player Amahl Pellegrino was called “monkey” and Sandefjord received his punishment on Thursday last week for the situation in which Ousmane Camara was subjected to racist yelling.
