Ibrox stadium, home of Rangers football club, saw a powerful tribute to the late Queen last night before the team’s Champion’s league game against Napoli. There was a minute’s silence, then an enormous tifo covering the entire Broomloan stand was revealed (of the Union Jack with the late Queen in silhouette in the middle). The national anthem was played on the public address system joined lustily by the capacity crowd. It was stirring stuff.
But Ranger’s tribute to the Queen defied Uefa’s general rules for pre-match ceremony and came after their specific request for an exception had been turned down. And this means the club could now be in hot water. It’s not clear how Uefa will respond but It looks likely the club will be sanctioned in some way with a hefty fine.
Perhaps it would have been better to simply inform Uefa of their plans, rather than asking permission and then disregarding the response
Uefa had rejected Rangers’ (and Manchester City and Chelsea’s) request for a special tribute ‘on the basis of maintaining a consistent pre-match ceremony with a subdued atmosphere and without any celebratory activities’.
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