Article in Al Jazerra by Patrick Gathera 6/30/26
Headline: “At the World Cup, the media has set up a moral checkpoint”
Subhead : “While US and European players just get to play football, Global South footballers are questioned about politics.”
” ‘Why is it that African teams and Middle Eastern teams have to answer for what their governments are doing but European teams don’t?’ South African comedian Trevor Noah asked recently during a World Cup watch party.
“He was reacting to the questions Western journalists had lobbed at Iranian players following their games. But the question goes far beyond Iran. It speaks to a familiar hierarchy in global journalism: Some players are allowed to be athletes. Others are turned into ambassadors, defendants and moral exhibits. . .”
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