Rangers launch campaign to promote diversity and inclusion

Rangers Football Club has launched a diversity and inclusion campaign to help tackle discrimination and promote positive fan behaviour.

At a press conference at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow on Monday, the club announced its new Everyone Anyone initiative, which aims to unite people from different backgrounds, cultures and communities.

As part of the campaign, the club said it will hold a series of diversity and inclusion events at Ibrox, as well as at its Hummel Training Centre in Milngavie and in the wider community.

Managing director Stewart Robertson announced the initiative alongside manager Steven Gerrard and first team players James Tavernier and Andy Halliday.

It was backed by politicians including Scottish Labour MSPs Anas Sarwar and Pauline McNeill, and Scottish Labour's Glasgow leader Frank McAveety.

Rangers chairman Dave King said: "I am delighted and immensely proud to unveil this important and extremely relevant campaign.

"Everyone Anyone is an all-encompassing initiative designed to highlight the similarities between the broad spectrum of supporters worldwide regardless of age, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and health.

"We want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, safe, welcome and wanted. Supporting Rangers should break down barriers and Ibrox should be a place where diversity, unity and inclusion are strengthened through the friendships football can create."

Mr Robertson said: "Supporters are the lifeblood of the club and we believe positive fan behaviour and tolerance can be enhanced through this campaign as we all have one shared passion - Rangers.

"We have a rich history of success and achievement but we should also be regarded as a modern and fair football club which opposes all forms of anti-social and discriminatory behaviour, including bigotry, racism, sectarianism, homophobia and sexism.

"The club has a chance to make a real impact and we are determined to do more than pay lip service to this initiative. This is Rangers and we have to reach out and embrace everyone and anyone."

Mr Sarwar said the initiative could help to tackle discrimination inside football grounds and in wider society.

"The reality is that leadership is required from all levels, whether that be around football clubs, whether it be individual institutions, around trying to change and drive a culture of inclusivity and openness,'' said Mr Sarwar.

"I think it's really important that Rangers, as an institution in Glasgow, in Scotland and the UK, is part of that drive for people being welcome in this stadium.

"Families support Rangers Football Club, families are associated with Rangers Football Club and if we can drive good behaviour here, that's hopefully good behaviour that then reflects on individual communities, individual households, and also places of work right across the city as well, and that's why I really welcome the campaign."

Scottish Labour MSP Pauline McNeill said the club was leading the way.

She said: "Football clubs do have a responsibility to recognise that amongst their supporters they must lead in diversity and I think that what Rangers Football club has done today is leading the way in this and I'm absolutely delighted to support the initiative."

Club manager Steven Gerrard said: "This is such a massive club which has an important role to play in bringing people together.

"Rangers is a vital part of the fabric of Scotland and our campaign sends a clear message that no one should be excluded. Supporting Rangers means we are all part of the same family.

"We stand together proudly in support of our club and our diversity."