Song aimed at Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi perpetuates racist Asian stereotype
Rangers Football Club has announced ‘indefinite bans’ for supporters, shown in a video circulating on social media, singing a racially-insensitive song aimed at Kyogo Furuhashi, the Japanese footballer who joined rivals Celtic in the summer. The club has further banned the supporters club of which the offenders were members, and will no longer allocate it tickets.
The video shows a handful of Rangers fans travelling on a coach, chanting the lyrics of a song advancing the racist stereotype of Far Eastern Asians eating dog-flesh.
Rangers FC released a statement of condemnation while the search for the offenders was in progress. “Rangers condemns all forms of racism and discrimination, Those who partake in such behaviour are not representative of our club or the loyal support who have stood by us through thick and thin.”
The club released a subsequent statement on Monday afternoon, announcing that, “The individuals involved have been identified and will be banned indefinitely from all Rangers games. Furthermore, the RSC of which they were members and travelled with to the game, have been banned from receiving tickets for future fixtures.”
26-year-old Furuhashi has already scored six goals in just seven games since joining Celtic, and established himself as a favourite among Celtic supporters. He has responded to the abuse by tweeting defiantly, and in acknowledgement of the support he has received from Celtic and the club’s fanbase, “I will never walk alone.”
The timing of this incident makes it even worse, as it comes just days ahead of the first Old Firm match of the season, at Ibrox on Sunday 29th August.
Related posts:
Subscribe
Click here for a secure way to sign up, you will be supporting independent news. Click the button below.
Your Opinions
Disagree with this article? why not write in and you can have your say? email us
