Rangers International Football Club has firmly rejected allegations of ethnic discrimination following comments by Super Eagles winger Moses Simon about his unsuccessful trial with the club years ago, insisting that player recruitment has always been based on merit rather than ethnic or regional considerations.
In a statement issued by its General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Amobi Ezeaku, the seven-time Nigerian champions said they had taken note of the comments attributed to Simon but maintained that the club has never operated any policy that discriminates against players on the basis of ethnicity, tribe, religion or place of origin.
“While we respect every player’s right to recount his personal journey, it is important to clearly state that Rangers International FC has never maintained, and does not maintain, any policy of discrimination based on ethnicity, tribe, religion or place of origin,” the statement read.
The response follows recent remarks by Moses Simon in which the Nantes winger recounted his experience during a trial at Rangers earlier in his career. Although the club did not directly challenge Simon’s account of the events, it rejected any suggestion that the institution itself practices ethnic discrimination.
Rangers described itself as one of Nigeria’s foremost football institutions, noting that despite being proudly rooted in Enugu and the South-East, the club has always represented the entire country.
“For over five decades, Rangers has stood as one of Nigeria’s foremost national football institutions. Although proudly rooted in Enugu and the South-East, the club has always belonged to Nigeria,” the club stated.
According to the statement, Rangers has, throughout its history, featured players, coaches and officials from virtually every region of Nigeria as well as other parts of Africa, united by the pursuit of success on the pitch.
The club stressed that its recruitment philosophy has consistently prioritised footballing ability, discipline, character and commitment above ethnic identity.
“The club’s recruitment philosophy has always been based on footballing ability, character, discipline and commitment, not ethnic identity,” Ezeaku said.
Rangers acknowledged that while thousands of players have attended trials over the years, only a fraction secured contracts, explaining that such decisions are influenced by a wide range of sporting, technical and administrative factors.
“Thousands of players have passed through Rangers over the years. Some earned contracts, others did not. Such decisions are part of football and are influenced by numerous sporting, technical and administrative considerations.”
The club argued that it would therefore be inaccurate to portray Rangers as an institution that excludes players because of their ethnic background.
Reaffirming its current philosophy, Rangers said the club has deliberately strengthened its commitment to professionalism, meritocracy, diversity and inclusion across its men’s, women’s and youth teams.
According to the statement, the club continues to recruit talented footballers from across Nigeria and beyond, reflecting its belief that football should serve as a unifying force rather than a source of division.
“Rangers remains committed to providing equal opportunities to every talented player regardless of ethnic background, religion or geographical origin. The values that define this great club are excellence, integrity, discipline, hard work and unity,” the statement added.
The club concluded by reiterating its position as one of Nigeria’s most historic football institutions, pledging to continue promoting national integration through football.
“As one of Nigeria’s most historic football institutions, Rangers will continue to serve as a symbol of national integration, where talent speaks louder than tribe and performance remains the ultimate criterion for opportunity.”
The statement represents Rangers’ first official response to the controversy surrounding Moses Simon’s account of his early football career and seeks to reassure supporters and stakeholders that the Enugu-based club remains committed to equal opportunity and merit-based recruitment.
