19 March 2021

Rangers stand by Glen Kamara and demand action over racism allegations

19 March 2021

Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson insists the Ibrox club refuse to accept any attempt to “deflect” away from the alleged racial abuse aimed at Glen Kamara.

Kamara found himself at the centre of a storm after Steven Gerrard’s team crashed out of the Europa League to Slavia Prague on Thursday night.

Kamara and his team-mates reacted with fury after Czech defender Ondrej Kudela cupped his hand and whispered an alleged discriminatory slur into the midfielder’s ear.

But Slavia have hit back, rejecting the racism claims while accusing Kamara of being the guilty party responsible for an assault on Kudela in the tunnel after the final whistle.

However, police bosses admit they know nothing about Slavia’s claims that Kamara swung a punch at their player.

UEFA has said it is ready to probe the post-match incident but Gerrard has already warned they must not allow the racism claims to be “brushed under the carpet”.

Now Ibrox managing director Robertson has also turned up the heat on European football’s governing body as he insisted “enough is enough”.

“Racism is unacceptable in any form and in any setting,” he said in a statement. “The racist abuse suffered by Glen Kamara will not be tolerated by Rangers. As a club, we stand resolutely behind Glen as we support him and his teammates.

“Several of our players have subsequently received racist, threatening and sickening abuse online. This is abhorrent and once again highlights the responsibility social media outlets have in eradicating abuse from faceless cowards.

“We refuse to acknowledge any attempt to defend, deflect or deny the abuse Glen Kamara experienced last night.

“Our Manager, Steven Gerrard, has already underlined his own disgust at this incident and support for our players. We can confirm that Steven, our chairman Douglas Park, sporting director Ross Wilson and I, met last night to agree our club stance.

“We also met with UEFA representatives. This incident has been reported to the UEFA match delegate and we understand that it has formed part of his match report.

“UEFA will be well aware the football world is watching. We expect a robust and unequivocal response in relation to this incident. It cannot be merely ‘swept under the carpet’- we are not prepared for Glen Kamara to be yet another statistic. Enough is enough.”

UEFA confirmed it is investigating allegations of ugly scenes after the match – which saw Gers lose 2-0 and have both Kemar Roode and Leon Balogun sent off – had ended.

It said in a statement: “UEFA is aware of an incident which occurred in the tunnel after the end of the match and which involved some players of both teams.

“We are waiting to receive detailed reports of the match officials who were present at the game before commenting further.”

Slavia countered Rangers’ claims, insisting Kudela was the victim of an attack from Kamara.

They also took aim at the rest of Gerrard’s team, accusing the Ibrox club of “unprecedented malicious play”.

Ondrej Kolar was left with a fractured skull and huge three-inch gash on his forehead after Roofe planted his studs into the Slavia keeper’s face with a brutal high challenge, while Balogun also walked after collecting two bookings.

In a statement, Prague bosses said: “The club denies the allegations of racism of one of the team captains Ondrej Kudela.

“Slavia resolutely denies the disgusting accusation of one of the team captains Ondrej Kudela of racist behaviour

“After one of the brutal fouls, Ondrej Kudela spoke to one of the Rangers players. ‘I told him: ‘You f****** guy’. It was said in emotions, but I absolutely deny there was anything racist in those words,’ Kudela stated.

“Slavia players faced an unprecedentedly malicious play from their opponents. They have never experienced such play in any game they participated in the modern history of the European competitions.

“Many brutal tackles resulted in injuries of our players. Goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar travelled to a hospital with 10 stitches on his head.

“After the end of the game, the team was not allowed to enter the dressing room.

“Ondrej Kudela was assaulted by player Kamara and hit with fists in the head with manager Steven Gerrard witnessing the incident.

“Even the UEFA representatives who were also present on the site of the incident were shocked by this behaviour. The team is now safe accompanied by the Scottish police.”

But a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “No reports of criminality have been made by either club in connection with last night’s match.

“Police Scotland has contacted club officials and assured them that should any allegation be received it will be investigated thoroughly.”

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