The Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir was postponed until Wednesday after players walked off the field on Tuesday alleging that Romanian fourth official Sebastian Coltescu used a racist term when identifying a black assistant coach.
Players from the Turkish team were furious after assistant coach Pierre Webo was given a red card by referee Ovidiu Hategan, also Romanian, at Parc des Princes, saying Coltescu had used a racial term to describe Webo, who is from Cameroon.
Basaksehir substitute Demba Ba demanded that the fourth official explain himself, while PSG players Neymar and Kylian Mbappe also demanded an explanation. Basaksehir coach Okan Buruk told Coltescu: “You are racist."
The score was 0-0 when the incident took place about 14 minutes into the match. Uefa said the match would resume on Wednesday evening with new officials.
“Following an incident at tonight’s Uefa Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Istanbul Basaksehir FK, Uefa has — after discussion with both clubs — decided on an exceptional basis to have the remaining minutes of the match played tomorrow with a new team of match officials,” Uefa said late Tuesday.
“A thorough investigation on the incident that took place will be opened immediately."
Television footage captured the exchange between the fourth official and the referee, with Coltescu telling Hategan that Webo should be reprimanded for his behaviour on the sidelines:
“Go and give it (the red card) to the black one. This is not possible (tolerable), go and identify him, go verify, the black one over there,” Coltescu allegedly said, in Romanian, about Webo.
Webo was enraged and was heard to repeat at least six times “Why you say negro?” as he sought an explanation from Coltescu. Visibly distressed, Webo then added, “He can’t say negro, he can’t say negro.”
At this point, Ba could also be heard questioning what Coltescu had said. “Why is the fourth official saying ‘negro?’” Ba asked twice.
Moments later, Ba then came off the bench and stood in front of Coltescu and said, “Why, when you mention a black guy, you have to say, ‘This black guy?’”
During the interruption, Basaksehir posted a message on Twitter against a Uefa backdrop with the message: “NO TO RACISM.”
PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe, who was on the field during the game, also posted the message on his Twitter account.
Mbappe expressed his support for Webo on Twitter. “SAY NO TO RACISM,” he wrote. “WEBO WE ARE WITH YOU.”
Piara Powar, executive director of the anti-discrimination Fare network — which helps Uefa investigate cases — told the Associated Press there was no excuse for Coltescu’s language.
“Unintentional racism is still racism,” Powar said in a text message to AP. “If officials cannot set the standards by their own behaviour, they cannot be relied on to deal with racism on the pitch or in the stands.
“The walk off by both Basaksehir and PSG together lays down a marker in Europe,” Powar added. “Many players are fed up with half measures to tackle racism and are more prepared than ever before to exercise their right to stop a match.”
Webo, 38, is a striker from Cameroon who made more than 50 appearances for his country’s national team. He played for Basaksehir from 2011-13.
Seven years ago, Hategan was in charge of a match between CSKA Moscow and Manchester City when City’s black players experienced verbal racial abuse.
City captain Yaya Toure directed referee Hategan towards fans making monkey noises at the English club’s black players.
Michel Platini, Uefa’s president at the time, requested an internal inquiry involving the referee to examine why guidelines were not followed to respond to discrimination incidents during matches.
Uefa, meanwhile, designated Dutch referee Danny Makkelie to take charge on Wednesday along with different assistant referees and a new fourth official.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
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1,942 teams
116 pitches
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
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RESULT
Bournemouth 0 Southampton 3 (Djenepo (37', Redmond 45' 1, 59')
Man of the match Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
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Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
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Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
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Rating: 4/5