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Two-time English Premier League winner and television pundit John Barnes took to Twitter on Thursday to “lecture those primitive heathens in South Africa who call themselves coloureds”.

The tweet followed events during a Champions League match between Paris St-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir when a fourth official was accused of using a racist term during the match.

Romanian official Sebastian Coltescu was accused of using the term “negru”, which means “black” in Romanian, when he referred to Basaksehir assistant coach Pierre Webo.

The match would eventually be called off during the first half after the players walked off the pitch. At the restart of the match on Wednesday, players knelt down at the centre circle of the field to show their support for the coach.

“We are tired, we don’t want to go through this again,” said PSG star player Kylian Mbappe.

“Of course, I am proud of what was done. We were not disappointed not to play. We made that decision. We were proud.

“A lot of things were said but, in fact, there’s nothing better than actions,” he said.

“Calling all Romanians with the last name NEGRU… change your names as you are offensive to black people because it sounds like NEGRO ! What a stupid thing for people to suggest not to use the Romanian word negru even in your own country!!🤬.” – John Barnes (@officialbarnesy) December 9, 2020

As Barnes continued to back up his stance to defend the Romanian official on Twitter, he later had a go at South Africa’s coloured community.

“Let’s lecture those primitive heathens in South Africa who call themselves coloureds that they are wrong they are BLACK.. but don’t call them black because it’s an insult… we’re becoming like Boris “stay inside.. don’t stay inside”.. “call us black.. don’t call us black.” – John Barnes (@officialbarnesy) December 9, 2020

“To call us heathens, I find it offensive. Do some research before you comment on someone else’s ethnicity or heritage. It’s an insult if you don’t acknowledge my Khoi heritage, so it’s safe to say I will get upset if you call me black, or white… I’m brown.” – Marvin_S (@Marvin_Solomons) December 9, 2020

“As a South African I would like to note that “coloured” people are a race group of their own with their own culture, heritage & history. Whilst on a global state “coloured” people would be classed as “black”, in South Africa they have their own identity. No, they’re not heathens.” – Gerard Duarte dos Santos (@GDDSantos10) December 9, 2020

“This is interesting so I retweeted, but I honestly don’t want coloureds to be black and I’m black.” – Thuli Ntuli (@thulintuli10) December 9, 2020

However, following the backlash of responses to his tweet, the former Liverpool star later conceded that he was merely being facetious and that he was supporting the coloured people of South Africa.

“I’m being facetious … coloured people have every right to call themselves coloured,” said Barnes.

“I’m supporting your right. I’m saying why do we in the UK think that we know better and criticise people who still say ’coloured’ as if ‘we need to educate those heathens’,” he said. – African News Agency