Rangers, Celtic and all 40 other SPFL clubs have agreed to a multi-day social media boycott which will begin on Friday afternoon.
The SFA and the SPFL both confirmed the action on Wednesday evening as a ‘united’ stand is taken against racist and discriminatory abuse online.
‘Clubs across the country will join the Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Football and PFA Scotland in switching off all social media activity from 15:00 on Friday 30 April and will remain silent until 23:59 on Monday 3 May,’ reads the SFA press release.
‘Clubs are invited to take part by switching off their channels or ensuring any limited posting during that time include recognition of the campaign hashtag #FootballUnites.’
Earlier in the week, the Daily Record reported that both Rangers and Celtic had agreed to a temporary boycott of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
It’s the latest of several actions taken by Rangers, who have been leading the fight to date.
Players and staff observed a seven-day social media blackout earlier this month, while the club met with both Facebook and Instagram to make demands for change to stop abuse [Rangers.co.uk].
Gers midfielder Glen Kamara was racially abused by Slavia Prague defender Ondrej Kudela in a Europa League Last 16 tie at Ibrox last month and both he and Kemar Roofe – who was sent off earlier in the game – received torrents of abuse online over the following days.
That prompted Rangers skipper James Tavernier to state that every black member of the club’s playing squad had received racial abuse online at some stage during the season [Sky Sports].
The action ensures that there will be little to no coverage of Sunday’s Old Firm fixture on social media.
The Gers are aiming to keep their remarkable unbeaten Premiership campaign going by recording a fourth derby victory of the season over the Hoops.
In other news, Rangers have reportedly ‘registered interest’ in a Premier League player.
