ANKARA
UEFA Champions League match between France's Paris Saint-Germain and Turkey's Medipol Basaksehir late Tuesday was paused after an alleged racist remark targeting the Turkish club's technical staff. 
In the 17th minute of the match at Parc des Princes, Basaksehir assistant manager Pierre Webo from Cameroon argued with the referee of the match about a position.
✊🏻✊🏿 NO TO RACISM | #Respect pic.twitter.com/Ic1BzfANoi
— İstanbul Başakşehir (@ibfk2014) December 8, 2020
But the fourth official warned the referee to sent him off. Webo claimed that he faced a racist remark from the 4th official. The Turkish team went to the dressing room to protest the official.
Following the incident, Basaksehir's chairman Goksel Gumusdag said that the Turkish team will not return from dressing room if 4th official stays on the pitch amid alleged racist remarks against Webo.
Gumusdag added that the fourth official was discharged from his duty for Wednesday's game.
Many Turkish clubs, Turkey's Football Federation, also Paris Saint Germain retweeted and showed support for Basaksehir's "No To Racism" tweet, protesting the incident.
Basaksehir football club said players refuse to play in PSG game amid racist remarks by 4th official against assistant manager Webo.
Basaksehir's CEO Mustafa Erogut said the match will resume on Wednesday evening, all four officials of the game will be changed.
Turkey slams racist remarks
The Turkish president and ministers slammed the racist act against Webo.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media 'strongly' condemns racist remarks by 4th official against Basaksehir's Pierre Webo during PSG match.
Erdogan added that Turkey is unconditionally against racism and discrimination in sports and all the fields in life.
In addition the Turkish foreign minister said on Twitter that he backs Basaksehir football team's honorable stance as the Turkish team left the pitch over this incident.
"NO TO RACISM!," Mevlut Cavusoglu added.
İnsanlık suçu olan ırkçılığa karşı Başakşehir Futbol Kulübü’nün onurlu duruşunu destekliyoruz.
— Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (@MevlutCavusoglu) December 8, 2020
NO TO RACISM!#Respect @ibfk2014 https://t.co/qVittUQc2m
The Turkish Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu also criticized the fourth official for his racist remarks.
"Racism is a crime against humanity. We are standing by our team Basaksehir #Respect #NoToRacism," Kasapoglu tweeted.
Meanwhile the other Turkish clubs Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Besiktas said on Twitter that they are all against racism and support Webo each.
Yanınızdayız! #NoToRacism ✊🏿✊🏻 https://t.co/Ga6V3s44Yv
— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) December 8, 2020
PSG club, players back Webo
Paris Saint-Germain's French star Kylian Mbappe tweeted: "SAY NO TO RACISM. M.WEBO WE ARE WITH YOU." on his post, while the team's 25-year-old French defender Presnel Kimpembe sent out a tweet, saying: "No to racism".
SAY NO TO RACISM. ❌❌❌
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) December 8, 2020
M.WEBO WE ARE WITH YOU. ✊🏽
Basaksehir 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.
UEFA's policy to eliminate racist elements from game
Racism is still one of the major global problems in sports as FIFA and European football governing body UEFA have been fighting against it.
PARIS, FRANCE - DECEMBER 8: Head coach of Medipol Basaksehir Okan Buruk (2nd L) and players are seen as Paris Saint Germain and Medipol Basaksehir UEFA Champions League match paused after Basaksehir head to locker room for alleged racist remarks by 4th official to assistant manager Webo at the Princes Park, in Paris, France on December 8, 2020. ( Julien Mattia - Anadolu Agency )
In recent years, UEFA released a video to raise awareness about racism, with many football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining the "No to Racism" campaign.
