The BBC has admitted asking an “inappropriate” query about sexuality to the Moroccan captain on the Girls’s World Cup.
A journalist – reported to be from the BBC’s World Service – has confronted criticism after quizzing Ghizlane Chebbak on whether or not there have been any homosexual gamers in her squad, with same-sex relationships unlawful within the north African nation.
The unnamed male reporter requested the 32-year-old footballer throughout a information convention in Melbourne: “In Morocco it is unlawful to have a homosexual relationship, do you’ve any homosexual gamers in your squad and what’s life like for them in Morocco?”
A FIFA media consultant warned the journalist: “Sorry this can be a very political query so we are going to simply follow questions associated to soccer please.”
However the reporter responded: “No, no, it is not political, it is about folks, it is nothing to do with politics, please let her reply.”
In an announcement despatched to Sky Information, the BBC mentioned: “We recognise that the query was inappropriate. We had no intention to trigger any hurt or misery.”
Chebbak appeared visibly uncomfortable following the query, with critics suggesting the “unethical” query was “utterly out of line” and “poses security considerations” to the gamers.
Sports activities journalist Shireen Ahmed, who was current on the convention, mentioned the BBC reporter was “utterly out of line”.
“Hurt discount issues and posing the query to the captain or coach was pointless,” she tweeted.
“The query was waived off by a FIFA media officer moderating however it should not have been requested.”
She added: “Asking a participant about her teammates and whether or not they’re homosexual and the way it impacts them when you already know it isn’t permissible is weird and out of line.
“The captain can not out gamers or touch upon coverage [because] it could possibly be harmful for them, too.”
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Chebbak is captain of the Moroccon group. Pic: AP
A social media channel known as SHE Scores Bangers, which covers ladies’s soccer content material and shared a video of the convention, additionally criticised the BBC journalist’s method.
“The uneducated assumption feeding into the stereotype ‘all ladies’s soccer gamers are homosexual’ this journalist expressed is mind-boggling and ought to be refuted from the game,” the channel mentioned.
“Present me a clip the place the Moroccan males’s nationwide group received requested such at their World Cup – there is not.
“‘Do you’ve any homosexual gamers in your squad?’ is a query I am dying to know what reply he anticipated for and if there was a single additional thought on the affect this will have, only a single thought.”
The channel additionally hit out on the BBC journalist’s response that the query was “about folks”, including: “Those you had been going to hazard?”