By Agency Report

Enugu Rangers have rejected allegations by Super Eagles winger Moses Simon that he was denied a professional contract with the club early in his career because he is not from the Igbo tribe.

Simon had made the claim in an interview with UrbanDwellSport, recalling that he spent three months training with Rangers and believed he had done enough to earn a deal, only to be overlooked in favour of another player.

“I went to Rangers and trained with them for three months. I was dropped because I was not Igbo, not because of my performance,” Simon said.

“I spent three months with the team, while another player trained just once and got a professional contract because he was Igbo. I never told anyone these stories. It was the first time. But it is a disgrace.”

Rangers moved swiftly to respond, with club Chief Executive Officer, Amobi Ezeaku, releasing a statement titled “Rangers International Football Club’s Position on Ethnic Inclusion and Social Opportunity,” in which the club firmly denied that ethnicity has ever influenced its recruitment decisions.

“Rangers International Football Club has taken note of comments attributed to Super Eagles star Moses Simon regarding his experience during a trial at the club many years ago,” the statement read. “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 club leaned on its history spanning more than five decades to defend its reputation, insisting its South-East roots have never translated into ethnic exclusivity.

Punch Credited