It was Statement O’clock twice yesterday on Planet Fitba.
Firstly, the Sevco High Command had to issue this Churchillian missive.
Then those fine fellows at Club 2012 had to weigh in and get behind the official narrative.
Now, a cynic might conclude that this is all part of a panicked PR led fire fighting operation to minimise UEFA sanctions.
Of course, I couldn’t possibly comment.
This morning I received this email from the folks at UEFA:
Dear Phil,
Disciplinary proceedings have been opened following the UEFA Europa League play-off first-leg match between Legia Warszawa and Rangers FC (0-0), played on 22 August in Poland.
Charges against Rangers FC:
– Racist behaviour (sectarian chants) – Art. 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR)
The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body will deal with this case at its next meeting on 30 August.
Kind regards,
UEFA Media & Public Relations
My emphasis.
So tomorrow then…
News that the basket of assets had received a second citation from UEFA would not have surprised regular readers here.
This piece of mine from 23rd August is worth another read.
The clue is in the headline…
Will there be more sanctions for matches already played?
Good question.
Now, say, if there had been a FARE delegate at any of the matches involving Sevco and FC Midtjylland then that could get very messy.
Merely speculation on my part you understand.
I have noted that the usual suspects in the Stenography Corps are doing all that they can to avoid using the “R” word.
The sectarian narrative allows them a “one side is as bad as the other” set of stock response every time the klan gives voice to their hatreds.
I had no idea back in 2008 when I started to cover this issue that the local media would still be obeying that Orwellian doublespeak ELEVEN years later.
Their collective journalistic aversion to using the term “anti-Irish racism” to describe the behaviour of the Ibrox klan isn’t a good look.
My guess, and that’s all that it is, is that tonight at Ibrox the klan will be rather chastened.
That happened in 2008 when the klan feared that the Famine Song would result in their arrest.
Consequently, they decided to show the Dunkirk Spirit after a warning was put up on the screens at the stadium that John Brown played for.
You can read my piece about it in the Irish Post here.
Of course, the anti-Irish racism will be back on Sunday as they know that they can act with impunity in domestic fixtures.
That is because it goes against the official fiction in Fair Caledonia that there no such thing as anti-Irish racism in their midst.
Here is another piece of mine from 2010 in the Irish Post when I again used the banned “R” word as I looked at the treatment of Aiden McGeady in Scotland.
The sad reality is that the hatred of the multi-generational Irish community in Scotland is at the core of the Ibrox match day experience.
Until that is acknowledged then there will continue to be a dearth of useful journalism on the subject from the local media.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is now a proven fact at UEFA level that the supporters of Rangers (2012) have a problem with racism.
Unlike in Fair Caledonia, their hatred of the Irish will cost them in Europe.
Addendum.
Finally, a little good news for those nice folks at Sevco.
I just received this reply from UEFA Media & Public Relations:
Dear Phil,
No disciplinary proceedings have been opened after the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round first-leg match between FC Midtjylland and Rangers FC (2-4), played on 8 August in Denmark.
Kind regards,
UEFA Media & Public Relations
UEFA, unlike the Stenogprahy Corps, are evidence-based in their investigations.
Consequently, unless they have verifiable audio or video evidence they will not raise a charge.
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“Article 14 Racism, other discriminatory conduct and propaganda
1 Any person under the scope of Article 3 who insults the human dignity of a person
or group of persons on whatever grounds, including skin colour, race, religion or
ethnic origin, incurs a suspension lasting at least ten matches or a specified period
of time, or any other appropriate sanction. ” from UEFA disciplinary regs.
I think the UEFA media tea boy who handles their comms needs to expand on his use of the term ‘racism’. Is there a published judgement from UEFA which asserts that The Rangers are specifically guilty of racism rather than other discriminatory conduct? If so, let’s see it.
“one side is as bad as the other” tu quoque fallcy
Watched the second half of the sevco game tonight. Apart from Derry’s Walls getting laldy occasionally the the atmosphere was as flat as a witches tit! They clearly have no other songs than the usual sectarian hymn book. Interesting to see Barasic making the sign of the cross as he was subbed. Couldn’t actually tell where the flares came from they seemed to be lying between both sets of fans.
The Ibrox club have so much in common with ‘our’ football blazer wearing establishment here. Thoroughly lacking in imagination and prone to peculiar handshakes. Down Govan Way, they’ve always had this warped fixation with songs about blood, misery, and bygone days of GORE. It should be mortifying that their racist behavior’s being analysed globally. Incredibly that’s not the case. The Klan have become desensitised to it during the last century.
We should ask the SFA & SPFL what is the difference between their definition of racism and UEFA’s
If Rangers do progress to the group stages I am not sure that the proposed “solution” of not taking tickets for away matches will work. What happens if hundreds of Rangers fans turn up in various parts of the ground? A recipe for serious crowd trouble.
We all know that come Sunday we will have to endure more racism, disguised as sectarian singing. The SFA will not, unless forced through arbitration in Europe which will need to come from a club with the balls to stand up to this or a player who seeks to clarify SFA/SPFL stance on this.
Until we have unconditional acceptance that these songs are racist we will get nowhere.
Hi, are you attending the Hills of Donegal CSC fest in Bundoran? I will be, have donated before, will do again, and also in pints if yer about!
Sadly the posts on social media are of this persuasion.
It don’t matter if we cannot sing our songs inside the Stadium we can do it outside.
They behave worse than us.
This shows the mentality that is engrained into the followers of TRFC.
They won’t be able to contain themselves on Sunday. Hopefully the men from Europe put an official in the stand on Sunday to keep the pressure on these racist bigots, and force the SPLA and SFA to start doing the same.
have you actually been to parkhead to hear the vile there,,,,,,but nobody mentions a thing about it,,very strange
Ian
How about being realistic? The Ibrox institution has been consistently sectarian for over a century. Many fans rightly define them as the most racist club in Europe. They’re actually the worst GLOBALLY.
You obviously have been – so evidence of said ‘vile’ please !
Learn to differentiate between VILE and BILE, then come back here to lecture us about what you allege goes on at Parkhead.
I feel that the,as yet unseen and unrecorded video footage evidence from this Sunday’s game,will be overwhelming and UEFA will have plenty of evidence,in the form of mobile phone recordings of the klan in full anti-Irish racism mode.
I know it isn’t a European tie but I will almost certainly be forwarding my tuppence worth;just to give them an idea of the frequency that the klan unleash these racist ditties.
HH🍀
Read a rweet earlier today that it was a Scottish UEFA observer, is this true? Shurely not!
Nonsense. A UEFA match delegate cannot be from the same country as a competing club. Fake news.
did you not find it odd in December 2016, for a UEFA Champions League game away to Manchester City we had an ex-Linfield Director from Norn Iron as a match delegate!! ok, technically he wasn’t from either country competing but he was darn close was he not!!!