The BBC has issued an apology in response to a reporter’s “inappropriate” question to Morocco’s football captain before the team’s World Cup match against Germany on Monday (24 July).
Morocco is the first Arab and North African team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, but Ghizlane Chebbak, the team captain, was asked an “unethical” and “dangerous” question about LGBTQ+ rights.
In Morocco, laws that discriminate against women and LGBTQ+ people are still in effect. Human Rights Watch states that “sexual deviancy” – acts between people of the same sex – can result in prison sentences of up to three years.
At the post-match press conference in Melbourne, the BBC reporter asked: “In Morocco it’s illegal to have a gay relationship. Do you have any gay players in your squad, and what’s life like for them in Morocco?”
Chebbak winced, took off her earpiece, glanced at coach Reynald Pedros, and then laughed in response to the query. “Sorry, this is a very political question,” a Fifa representative said, requesting the reporter stick to questions about football.
“No, it’s not political, it’s about people,” the reporter replied. “Please let her answer the question.” A BBC spokesperson said on Tuesday (25 July): “We recognise that the question was inappropriate. We had no intention to cause any harm or distress.”
The interaction clearly shocked the members of the media present, and some of them took to social media to criticise the line of questioning. CBC Sports reporter Shireen Ahmed said the question was strange and inappropriate, adding that it should not have been asked in the first place.
“This isn’t an issue of journalistic freedom,” Ahmed said on Twitter. “You can inquire about social laws in different places without endangering people. Journalists have an obligation to be fair, accurate and practise with care. If reporting harms someone, it is not only unethical but dangerous.”
In addition to being the first Arab country to compete in the Women’s World Cup, Nouhaila Benzina will also make history as the first player to wear the hijab if she gets game-time during the tournament.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/womens-world-cup-bbc-apologises-190624251.html