UEFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Romanian PSG-Basaksehir referees

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Sebastian Constantin Coltescu and Octavian Sovre, the two Romanian referees who were accused of racism by Pierre Webó during the Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir on December 8.

That day, the aforementioned duel was suspended by the team of Turkish players, accompanied by the French, after hearing an alleged racist insult from the fourth official in dispute with assistant Pierre Webó.

Whoever was an ex-footballer from Osasuna, Leganés or Mallorca denounced the referee's insult, still shouting on the pitch, after being sent off. “Why does it say black?”, he told the Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan, with the visitor Demba Ba also in controversy. The player also reproached him for that way of speaking.

It all happened 15 minutes into the game and after a long discussion in the technical area, the Turkish players decided to retire to the locker room with the threat of not returning. The PSG players, led by Neymar and Mbappé, asked the fourth official for explanations and supported the decision not to play.

The duel was finally played the next day with arbitration by the Dutch Danny Makkelie. Before the game, the players of both teams circled the center circle of the field, with the knee on the ground and the fist raised, as did the three referees. Subsequently, PSG won by a landslide (5-1).