The World Cup, Orientalism, and Power in the World of Journalism

When Russia held the World Cup in 2017, the BBC provided full coverage of the tournament’s opening ceremony. ere was no criticism nor lecturing, while by this time, Russia had already annexed the region of Crimea and was occupying Eastern Ukraine. Fast forward four years, the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup began with Gary Lineker speaking out against Qatari human rights abuses, and the opening ceremony was not shown. Besides the irony of a celebrity presenter such as Lineker criticizing the regime, the Western coverage of the World Cup was another reminder of the racial dynamic which still dominates journalism. Criticism of Qatar’s human rights record may well be justi ed, yet it should not take away from the clear racism and stigma that was on show during the World Cup. e racial and Orientalist coverage of non-Western events is a major issue today.

e Moroccan team won many hearts as it went on a fathomable journey to place fourth, the highest position ever for an African country at the world cup. eir heartfelt celebrations, camaraderie, and dances captured millions of fans’ love and attention worldwide. Yet, German media outlet ‘Welt’ attempted to sour their journey by claiming the Moroccan players posed with the ‘Islamic State gesture’ a er their win against Portugal. e gesture in question is a raising of the index nger to the sky, a testament to there being one God, and a very common gesture amongst Muslims worldwide. e racial accusations did not stop there. A Danish TV channel attempted to draw comparisons between the Moroccan players dancing with their mothers a er the match with pictures of monkeys. e Moroccan team also faced criticisms by Israeli media, who claimed their waving of the Palestinian ag was an antisemitic gesture aimed at “orchestrating hostility towards Israel”. ese are but a few examples of the racist and Orientalist hostility shown by Western media. e strength of Western journalism allows these media outlets to create and circulate racist and discriminatory claims and accusations with free reign. above the natives. ese ideas of cultural superiority were ingrained in Orientalist scholarship and have remained the status quo since then. A er the rise of Islamic extremism, these ideas have been reinvigorated by Western journalism and brought back into the spotlight. Furthermore, these racist and orientalist ideas can be utilized in a manner that is dangerous to the group. Some examples we see are the activities of Tommy Robinson’s English Defence League and, on a larger scale, President Donald Trump’s tenure in power. As journalism functions as a tool to circulate ideas and events, Western superiority that is based on an Orientalist and colonial legacy controls the narrative and ensures the hierarchy remains.

Coverage of the World Cup and the Moroccan team is also a testament to the anti-Muslim and anti-Middle Eastern coverage that the media has been perpetuating for more than two decades. e construction and circulation of ethnic stereotypes among journalism today is a result of this type of coverage. Ethnic and racial stereotyping is a pillar of Orientalist and racial journalism today. For more than 20 years, Western journalism and media have helped to perpetuate the idea that Muslims and Arabs are backward, extremist, and uncivilized. Much of this perspective stems from colonial-era prejudices against minorities. e British and French both ruled over parts of the Middle East during the zenith of their administrations. ey governed with the impression that they were