Rangers FC Faces UEFA Charges Over Fan Behavior, Club Expresses “Embarrassment”
Glasgow – Rangers Football Club is facing multiple UEFA charges following incidents of fan misconduct during their recent Europa League match against Fenerbahce. The charges include displaying a “racist and/or discriminatory banner,” throwing objects onto the field, and obstructing passageways within the stadium.
UEFA investigates “Racist and/or Discriminatory Banner” Displayed at Ibrox
The controversial banner, bearing the message “Keep woke foreign ideologies out – defend Europe,” was displayed in the Copland Stand, an area known to be occupied by the Union Bears ultras group, during the Europa League second leg against Fenerbahce at Ibrox last week. UEFA officials quickly took notice.
club Condemns Actions, Fears “Notable Sanctions”
Rangers released a statement expressing profound disappointment and “embarrassment” at the situation, fearing the club will face “significant sanctions for the actions of a very small minority.”
“Rangers is a modern, progressive football club, and we are fiercely proud of our diverse playing squads, workforce and support,” the club stated. The club emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable in 2025 and pledged to identify and hold accountable those responsible.
Rangers further stated that “if you do not believe in 2025 that absolutely everyone is welcome to follow Rangers whether at Ibrox or away, then Rangers is not the club for you, and you shoudl dissociate yourself with the club instantly.”
Object Throwing: A Recurring Problem at scottish Stadiums
In addition to the banner incident, Rangers is also charged with the throwing of objects. The Club brought up an incident from January 2nd where Celtic midfielder Arne Engels was struck by a coin at Ibrox. Rangers highlighted concerns about the rising trend of object-throwing incidents across Scottish stadiums.
“This is becoming a regular occurrence, not just at Rangers matches, but across stadiums in Scotland. Indeed, our players and staff were targeted with missiles” the club stated in reference to a match at Celtic Park.
Rangers mentioned an incident where one of their own supporters was injured by an object thrown toward the away end during a recent game against Motherwell. “This senseless and criminal behavior has no place in sport, nor in society. Again, if you think such behaviour is acceptable, you are not welcome at Rangers matches,” the club stated.
Pyrotechnics Risk Further Penalties
The club also criticized the use of pyrotechnics by “two individuals” after their league win at Celtic Park, raising concerns that the incident runs “the risk of an additional 800 of our supporters being unable to attend a match in the latter stages of the Premier Sports Cup at Hampden, in addition to the 500 that will already miss out as a result of the use of pyrotechnics.”
Rangers Urges Fans to Reject Misconduct
rangers concluded their statement by appealing to “all reasonable supporters to wholeheartedly reject any behaviour which brings the name of Rangers into disrepute, and to assist the club by challenging any issues which will lead to the club being punished further by the relevant authorities.”
How has Rangers FC responded to the incidents of fan misconduct, and what measures are they taking to address the issues?
Rangers FC Faces UEFA Charges Over Fan Behavior, Club Expresses “embarrassment”
Glasgow – Rangers Football Club is facing multiple UEFA charges following incidents of fan misconduct during their recent Europa League match against Fenerbahce. The charges include displaying a “racist and/or discriminatory banner,” throwing objects onto the field, and obstructing passageways within the stadium.
UEFA investigates “Racist and/or Discriminatory Banner” Displayed at Ibrox
The controversial banner, bearing the message “Keep woke foreign ideologies out – defend europe,” was displayed in the Copland stand, an area known to be occupied by the Union Bears ultras group, during the Europa League second leg against Fenerbahce at Ibrox last week. UEFA officials quickly took notice.
club Condemns Actions, Fears “Notable Sanctions”
Rangers released a statement expressing profound disappointment and “embarrassment” at the situation, fearing the club will face “notable sanctions for the actions of a very small minority.”
“Rangers is a modern, progressive football club, and we are fiercely proud of our diverse playing squads, workforce and support,” the club stated. The club emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable in 2025 and pledged to identify and hold accountable those responsible.
Rangers further stated that “if you do not believe in 2025 that absolutely everyone is welcome to follow Rangers whether at Ibrox or away, then Rangers is not the club for you, and you shoudl dissociate yourself with the club instantly.”
Object Throwing: A Recurring Problem at scottish Stadiums
In addition to the banner incident, Rangers is also charged with the throwing of objects. The Club brought up an incident from January 2nd where celtic midfielder Arne Engels was struck by a coin at Ibrox. Rangers highlighted concerns about the rising trend of object-throwing incidents across Scottish stadiums.
“This is becoming a regular occurrence, not just at Rangers matches, but across stadiums in Scotland. Indeed, our players and staff were targeted with missiles” the club stated in reference to a match at Celtic Park.
Rangers mentioned an incident where one of their own supporters was injured by an object thrown toward the away end during a recent game against Motherwell. “This senseless and criminal behavior has no place in sport, nor in society. Again, if you think such behaviour is acceptable, you are not welcome at Rangers matches,” the club stated.
Pyrotechnics Risk Further Penalties
The club also criticized the use of pyrotechnics by “two individuals” after their league win at Celtic Park, raising concerns that the incident runs “the risk of an additional 800 of our supporters being unable to attend a match in the latter stages of the Premier sports Cup at Hampden, in addition to the 500 that will already miss out as an inevitable result of the use of pyrotechnics.”
Rangers Urges Fans to Reject Misconduct
rangers concluded their statement by appealing to “all reasonable supporters to wholeheartedly reject any behaviour which brings the name of Rangers into disrepute, and to assist the club by challenging any issues which will lead to the club being punished further by the relevant authorities.”
Q&A: Rangers FC and the UEFA Charges
Q: What specific charges is Rangers FC facing from UEFA?
A: Rangers is charged with displaying a “racist and/or discriminatory banner,” throwing objects onto the field, and obstructing passageways during the Europa League match against Fenerbahce.
Q: What was the message on the controversial banner?
A: The banner read: “Keep woke foreign ideologies out – defend Europe.”
Q: Where was the banner displayed?
A: The banner was displayed in the copland Stand at Ibrox Stadium, an area associated with the Union Bears ultras group.
Q: What kind of sanctions could Rangers face?
A: UEFA sanctions could include fines, stadium closures, or even point deductions in future competitions. The severity depends on the assessment of the incidents.
Q: How has Rangers responded to the incidents?
A: The club expressed “embarrassment” and profound disappointment, condemning the actions and emphasizing its commitment to diversity and inclusion. They vowed to identify and hold those responsible accountable.
Q: What is Rangers doing about the object throwing?
A: Rangers is highlighting the ongoing issue of object throwing in Scottish football and has emphasized that it is unacceptable and unsafe. They are also addressing incidents where their own players and supporters have been targeted.
Q: Why are pyrotechnics an issue?
A: The use of pyrotechnics, like flares, can lead to stadium bans and fines. Rangers is concerned that incidents could result in fans being unable to attend future matches.
Q: What can fans do to help?
A: Rangers is urging all supporters to reject misconduct and to assist the club by challenging any behavior that could lead to further penalties.
Support Rangers FC by rejecting any behaviour that brings the club into disrepute.
