Firstly, it is vital that you please read the following:
http://johndcgow.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/kick-it-outfare-and-rangers/
And consider the following in particular:
http://www.kickitout.org/news.php/news_id/2319
Secondly, can you imagine FARE running an article on their site about a Rangers website - perhaps FF - slating Celtic fans for racism (see chap today admitting to abusing El Hadji Diouf) or bigotry (50,000 Yahoos united in their sectarian abuse towards Walter Smith) or even their support for the proscribed terrorist group across the water (see this week's Express for details of the Scottish recruitment base of the new-improved IRA: clue, it includes Celtic Park).
Perhaps not? If so, why not. Are the complaints, prejudice and bare-faced nonsensical views held by 'Celtic Mad' really worthy of being reproduced and held up as reasonable or helpful? Of course not.
This gives a good insight into the workings of FARE.
Demented Yahoos can be seen to be impartial or at worst sensible observers and the clearly bonkers views of opposition fans are somehow legitimised.
This is the crux of the matter: rival fans are now being granted licence to interfere in matters where UEFA already have delegates in place.
Imagine you were off to Tynecastle, or more probably Murrayfield, to see Hearts play V.Z. Unpronounceable in the Europa League. The UEFA delegate was a Hibs fan. He duly reported Hearts to the governing body over songs which, although not illegal or even subject to previous action, he was offended by. And UEFA thought this was ok. The same thing happened all across the UEFA week: Barcelona shopped by a Madrid fan; Man United grassed up by a Scouser; and so on and so forth.
Wouldn't happen?
Of course not. So why has UEFA decided that - after both legs of the tie between Rangers and PSV passed off with no incident other than mass arrests in Holland for the home fans - they will disregard the reports of their own employees and take more notice of a complaint and 'dossier' supplied by a partial and clearly openly hostile group?
FARE's home record isn't exactly promising of late: The Rangers Supporters' Trust wrote to the organisation on March 4th with evidence (two sources) of racial abuse against El Hadji Diouf and has yet to receive even the courtesy of a confirmation letter.
So they seem to have no interest in a case of racial attack when it comes to a Senegalese player who turns out for Rangers and yet have made it their business to try to attack and punish the Club.
Those keeping score at home - promote the views of Celtic fans as reasonable opinion on the behaviour of their rivals, ignore claims backed with evidence re racial abuse of a Rangers player, choose to provide UEFA with claims of bad behaviour by Rangers fans - will not need reminding that FARE don't seem to be your average organisation.
One needn't dwell on the fact that FARE UK (Kick it Out) boss Piara Powar is married to (as she herself labels it on Twitter) "Sellik" supporter and BBC journo Aasmah Mir. Kick It Out Spokesman Daniel Lynch had no comment to make on the story when details were revealed about their organisation and its role in the initial complaint re the first leg.
However, Mr. Powar has already let slip his intention, in an interview with a mentally-challenged Glaswegian (Phil McGillivan) published on his website on March 1st:
"One of the challenges about Anti-Racism and Anti-Catholic sectarianism is that UEFA need to warn Rangers at the start of every round."
This was, of course, before the first leg between PSV and Rangers.
It's odd, of course, that in the case of Spurs alleged racism in Madrid, reports of UEFA dismissing any action being taken due to "nothing in the delegate's report" didn't stop an immediate reaction from FARE and reporting of their objections and intent to supply UEFA with their opinion.
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, we wait until after both legs - and both ties have seen fans praised and neither delegate reporting anything untoward - before we hear even a peep regards the issue and the fact FARE have compiled a dossier for UEFA to consider, and on the basis of which they seek to undermine and overrule their own observers.
Rangers have tonight strongly indicated their desire to fight any charge relating to the Ibrox leg, and have previously intimated their intention to appeal against any first-leg action.
It may be too late for some but Martin Bain has finally admitted in public that this is seen as a deliberate and pre-meditated campaign against the Club.
He needn't look far to gather evidence or to cite UEFA inconsistency. But he and Rangers must fight this as far as they can take it.
We cannot have a situation where someone (we know not publicly whom) can complain about the fans of their rival clubs (we have not confirmed the nature of the complaint) and the governing body not only condones but encourages such flagrantly unjust behaviour.
Those looking for help from home will not be encouraged by the SFA chief Regan who tonight allowed himself to be humiliated still further by appearing on SSN and failing to defend his member club or even acknowledge that such charges may not be all they seem. His tenure has passed the mark of disgrace and is now a permanent stain on the name of Scottish football. The reporting of the BBC - with Chick Young jumping to conclusions and having the club banned and playing closed-door games before we even hear the case - was pitiful and sadly all too familiar, as increasingly the standards and objectivity of the charter have been dismissed as the national broadcaster sinks into the sewer.
Losing this battle or allowing this to become acceptable will not simply open a can of worms; the very nature of football across Europe will become a stinking pit of partisanship, bias and agenda-based attempts to interfere with sporting integrity.
Rangers did so much good work to enable the cash-cow that is the Champions League to become a reality. If they don't have the bottle or the will to fight UEFA on this - and leave the fight for later to be taken up by a club in a bigger league - they may find that there's no-one coming to their rescue.