PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir players take a knee before Champions League kickoff
VIDEO SHOWS: STILLS OF THE PSG V ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR MATCH
SHOWS:
PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 9, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)
1. GENERAL VIEW OF AN ANTI RACISM FLAG INSIDE THE STADIUM BEFORE THE MATCH
2. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S NEYMAR WEARING A ANTI-RACISM T-SHIRT DURING THE WARM UP BEFORE THE MATCH
3. ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR'S IRFAN KAHVECI KNEELS IN SUPPORT OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE MATCH
4. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S KEYLOR NAVAS KNEELS IN SUPPORT OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE MATCH
5. GENERAL VIEW AS PLAYERS AND OFFICIALS KNEEL IN SUPPORT OF THE BLACK LIVES MATTER CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE MATCH
6. ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR ASSISTANT COACH PIERRE WEBO WEARING A PROTECTIVE FACE MASK
7. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S NEYMAR IN ACTION BEFORE SCORING THEIR FIRST GOAL
8. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S NEYMAR (LEFT) CELEBRATES SCORING THEIR FIRST GOAL WITH MARCO VERRATTI
9. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S KYLIAN MBAPPE IN ACTION WITH ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR'S MEHMET TOPAL
10. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S KYLIAN MBAPPE CELEBRATES SCORING THEIR THIRD GOAL WITH NEYMAR
11. PARIS ST GERMAIN'S IDRISSA GUEYE AND ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR'S DEMBA BA AFTER THE MATCH
STORY: Paris St Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players, as well as the three onfield match officials, took a knee before their rescheduled Champions League game that was eventually won 5-1 by the French side on Wednesday (December 9).
The match had been suspended on Tuesday (December 8) when the players walked off in protest after the Turkish club accused a match official of racism.
Players also held their fists in the air as they gathered around the centre circle and wore 'No to racism' t-shirts during the warm-up.
UEFA said on Wednesday that it had appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to "conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding the incident" on Tuesday.
The incident was sparked when Basaksehir's assistant coach Pierre Webo was shown a red card for protesting against a refereeing decision and the Turkish side then alleged that the Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu used a racist term towards the Cameroonian.
The four Romanian match officials were replaced for Wednesday's re-start and Webo sat in the stands with the rest of his team's staff after his red card was suspended pending the UEFA investigation.
Taking a knee was popularised by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 and gained steam as an anti-racism protest following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis in May.
Two banners carrying anti-racism messages were placed in the Auteuil tribune of the Parc des Princes stadium. The first read 'Support to Mr Webo... Proud of the players... Against racism', with the second one saying 'Paris united against racism'.
UEFA had two banners of their own with both clubs' logos, reading 'No to racism', one in French and the other in English.
The game, played without spectators as part of restrictions in France to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, was one-sided, with PSG prevailing thanks to a Neymar hat-trick and a Kylian Mbappe double.
France internationals Kylian Mbappe and Presnel Kimpembe, stopped by Webo on their way back to the dressing room and gave him their shirt.
Thomas Tuchel's side, who had only picked up three points in their first three games, topped Group H on 12 points, ahead of RB Leipzig thanks to a better head-to-head record after the German side also progressed following their 3-2 victory against Manchester United on Tuesday.
(Production: Mike Brock)
