The French champions called the decision "incomprehensible" but
Britain's Interior Ministry said it was acting according to established
immigration rules.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Serge Aurier has been barred from Britain and will miss the club's Champions League tie against Arsenal on Wednesday after British authorities revoked his visa.
The
French champions called the decision "incomprehensible" but Britain's
Interior Ministry said it was acting according to established
immigration rules.
"Paris Saint-Germain is stunned by this incomprehensible situation that attacks the very integrity of the UEFA Champions League,"
the club said on Tuesday, adding it was because of Aurier's September
conviction for assaulting a police officer outside a Paris nightclub.
The
French champions made clear their anger with British authorities,
especially because they said they were only informed of the final
decision on Tuesday lunchtime, calling that "a flagrant lack of respect
for the club.
"After an initial
application on October 18, complete with all the necessary documents,
the British authorities had originally granted Paris Saint-Germain's
Ivory Coast international an entry visa to the UK on October 21," PSG said.
"However,
on November 16, his visa was finally revoked by the British Ministry of
the Interior, who justified their about-face by citing Aurier's
conviction."
PSG, who face Arsenal
with top spot up for grabs in Group A, said that they lobbied against
the decision to no avail and were further angered by the fact that the
final ruling came so late.
The
23-year-old Aurier has not spent any time in prison, despite being
sentenced to two months for the assault, and has filed an appeal against
the decision.
However, Britain's Interior Ministry stood by its decision.
"Mr
Aurier received a two month custodial sentence in September for
assaulting a police officer. The immigration rules clearly state that
non-EU nationals who have received a custodial sentence of less than 12
months within the last five years will be refused on criminality
grounds," a statement from the ministry said.
Aurier's failure to make it for the Arsenal showdown is just the latest chapter in his colourful career.
He
made a throat-slitting gesture to the crowd during a World Cup
qualifier last month after his cross was inadvertently turned into his
own net by a Mali player in an Ivory Coast victory, prompting a FIFA investigation.
Aurier also got in trouble last season after making derogatory comments about his then-PSG coach Laurent Blanc and other team-mates, including current Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, on a social media video post.
He was suspended for five weeks but owned up to having committed "a stupid mistake".
The
assault conviction came after he was stopped in May when leaving a
nightclub in the early hours of the morning in the French capital.
The
court heard that the troubled footballer refused to cooperate with
police when asked to leave his tinted-glass Porsche Cayenne, which
police said was incorrectly parked outside the club in an upmarket
district of Paris.
Police said the situation turned violent when an agitated Aurier elbowed one of the officers in the chest.
In its strongly worded statement on Tuesday, PSG said: "The
club has argued several times that since the player has launched a
legal appeal against the criminal ruling, he is therefore entitled to
the presumption of innocence, as any other person exercising their right
to appeal.
"Paris Saint-Germain strongly regrets that the presumption of innocence has not influenced Britain?s decision."
UEFA had also supported PSG in its attempts to get Aurier into Britain for Wednesday's game, the club added.
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