Rangers have condemned the ‘unacceptable’ online abuse suffered by two players after a recent match.
After the club’s 2-2 draw against Livingston, winger Djeidi Gassama and defender Emmanuel Fernandez were both targeted with racial abuse on Instagram. The abusive messages have been reported to both police and Instagram’s parent company, Meta.
In a statement on their website, Rangers outlined their grievances and the steps they have taken in response. The statement said: “Following yesterday’s game, Djeidi Gassama and Emmanuel Fernandez were subjected to racist abuse on their Instagram accounts.
“For any player, opening a phone and seeing abuse tied to the colour of their skin is simply unacceptable.”
The club further explained that the accounts responsible for the abuse appear to be anonymous, making it challenging to take concrete action.
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However, they insisted this does not “lessen the seriousness of what happened or the responsibility of the platform involved”.
The statement also emphasised that the club’s immediate concern is the wellbeing of the two players involved.
They have reassured both Gassama and Fernandez of their full support and are reportedly in “direct contact” with them.
The club also expressed their admiration for the duo, praising them for having the courage to call out this “vile abuse”.
They concluded by asserting that both Gassama and Fernandez “represent Rangers with commitment and pride”.
The club applauded the many supporters who have already stepped forward with supportive messages for the players, stating that this “reflects what this club stands for: pride in the shirt, respect for those who wear it, and a commitment to stand together.”
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