Rangers Express Concerns Over Nice Security Operation

Rangers have voiced criticism regarding what they termed a “draconian security operation” during their 4-1 Europa League victory in Nice on Thursday. The Ibrox-based club stated that the “heavy-handed tactics” employed by French police subjected their supporters to “serious distress.” While goals from Vaclav Cerny and Mohamed Diomande, followed by a double from Hamza Igamane, secured the team’s third tournament win of the season, Rangers asserted that the safety of their travelling fans was jeopardized. In an official statement, the club declared: “Rangers FC is deeply concerned over several unacceptable incidents in Nice last night where our supporters’ safety was jeopardised.” For several weeks leading up to the match, the club had been in communication with Uefa, Football Supporters Europe (FSE), and the local French authorities, as intelligence indicated the fixture could be problematic, drawing on the experiences of other visiting clubs. Despite these considerable efforts, the club stated that their supporters were significantly let down by the “draconian security operation” enforced by local authorities, which was described as poorly organized and executed. Furthermore, this operation underwent multiple changes without any advance notification provided to Rangers staff present at the venue. Reports indicated that some Rangers fans received emails from the French club informing them of ticket cancellations, which occurred after their seats were inadvertently allocated in the home section, with no additional explanation provided. Rangers further stated: “Much of the communication provided to Rangers in advance also proved to be incorrect, with items such as power banks taken for storage during the match.” The club also noted that the “heavy-handed tactics” employed by the local police force were unwarranted and resulted in “serious distress” for numerous supporters. The club confirmed it is continuing its dialogue with Uefa and FSE, and is encouraging supporters who were impacted by the events of the previous night to reach out to SLO@rangers.co.uk, providing details, images, and video footage. The club also expressed its gratitude to its supporters for their backing and patience while these issues were being addressed. No reports of crowd disturbances emerged following the conclusion of the match.