It was during Morocco’s press conference the day before the World Cup opener against Germany, that a BBC reporter took the microphone and asked the question: – In Morocco, it is illegal to be in a homosexual relationship. Do you have any gay players on your team and how is life for them in Morocco? FIFA’s representative then broke in and said that this was a political question and that only football-related questions should be asked. Ghizlane Chebbak during the press conference where she received the question from the BBC reporter. Photo: HANNAH MCKAY / Reuters There was a small discussion between the journalist and the FIFA representative while Morocco’s captain, Ghizlane Chebbak, looked questioning in the hall. She exchanged a glance with the trainer before looking down at the table and starting to laugh. Then another journalist got the floor. Had to apologize However, there were other journalists in the room who reacted sharply outwardly to the BBC reporter’s question. – From an injury reduction perspective, it is not an appropriate question for a player and would put the players themselves at risk, Steph Yang, a reporter for The Athletic, wrote on Twitter. Nouhaila Benzina could make history as the first player wearing a hijab in a soccer World Cup. Here with the teammates before the match. She was an unused reserve. Photo: WILLIAM WEST / AFP Muslim CBC reporter Shireen Ahmed, who was at the same press conference, also reacted. – The reporter was completely off track, Ahmed reported on Twitter. She added that asking the question to the coach or the captain was unnecessary. – The question was rejected by FIFA’s media representative, but should not have been asked, wrote the reporter. There have been a number of reactions to the Twitter messages to the journalists, which also come out harshly against the BBC reporter. news has tried to get in touch with the BBC reporter without success. On Tuesday night, a spokesman from the BBC also apologized for the question. – We recognize that this question was inappropriate. We had no intention of causing resentment or despair, an unnamed BBC person told CNN. Morocco played its first ever match in the Women’s World Cup. It ended with a 0–6 loss against Germany. Here, Germany’s Melanie Leupolz and Morocco’s Anissa Lahmari are in a duel during the match. Photo: WILLIAM WEST / AFP Risking prison In Morocco, homosexuals risk a prison sentence of up to three years, according to the human rights organization Amnesty. Mari Norbakk, researcher at the Chr. Michelsen Institute, sees how difficult this question was for Morocco’s team captain and coach. – The question being asked says that homosexuality is forbidden. If she had answered the question, it would have been to “out” gay teammates. It is at the heart of the matter that it is problematic, says Norbakk to news. Mari Norbakk, researcher at the Christian Michelsen Institute Photo: Chr. Michelsens Institute She points out that it is good to have a critical approach to gay rights. – But then it’s also about who gets the question. These are questions that should be asked in bilateral talks between other countries and Morocco, not to players on a football team, says Norbakk and adds: – This is a question that does not come to male football players. The question is asked because there is often an underlying idea that female footballers are queer, because football is considered a “masculine” sport. I think it is a consistently problematic question. Historic participation Morocco’s captain said at the press conference that all the players are aware of what a historic moment it is for the country that the women’s national team is participating in the World Cup. – We are honored to be the first Arab country to participate in the Women’s World Cup, said Chebbak On Monday, the team lost 0-6 against Germany in their first match in the World Cup. A sharp spotlight was also put on the situation of homosexuals in Qatar in connection with the Men’s Football World Cup in 2022. news revealed ahead of the championship that several World Cup hotels refused to book rooms for homosexuals. That despite the FIFA president’s promise that everyone was welcome in Qatar.
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Strong reactions to the World Cup reporter’s homosexuality question – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
