Uncomfortable LGBTIQ+ question at FIFA Women's World Cup pushes BBC to backtrack

Morocco's Women's World Cup team captain Ghizlane Chebbak winced and took out her earpiece after a BBC reporter asked an "inappropriate" question about LGBTIQ+ players.

The BBC has issued a statement after one of its reporters asked Morocco's captain if any of her teammates were gay. Source: Getty / William West

Key Points

• A BBC reporter has been criticised for asking the Moroccan team's captain if any players on the team were gay.
• After online backlash, the BBC issued a statement saying the question was inappropriate.
• Same-sex intimacy is illegal in Morocco and punishable by fines or jail time.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has responded but stopped short of a full apology after a reporter asked Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak about the sexual orientation of her teammates.

Ahead of Morocco's debut Women's World Cup match on Monday against Germany, a 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 visibly bristled and took out her earpiece, looking to her coach, Reynald Pedros, before laughing.

A FIFA official stepped in and said, “Sorry, this is a very political question, so we’ll just stick to questions relating to football.”

“No, it’s not political,” the journalist replied.

“It’s about people, it’s got nothing to do with politics. Please let her answer the question.”

Later, the BBC issued a statement saying, “We recognise that the question was inappropriate. We had no intention to cause any harm or distress.”

A video of the incident was shared widely on social media, with many users pointing out that Chebbak was clearly deeply uncomfortable.

The Athletic’s Steph Yang, who attended the press conference, said that “some members of the Moroccan media were audibly dismayed by the question".

Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak in action during the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 match between Germany and Morocco in Melbourne. Source: AAP / SOPA Images/Sipa USA

Shireen Ahmed, a reporter for CBC Sports who was also at the press conference, said the reporter was "completely out of line".

"Harm reduction matters, and posing the question to the captain or coach was unnecessary," she said.

"Asking a player about her teammates and whether they are gay and how it affects them when you know it is not permissible is bizarre and out of line. The captain cannot out players nor comment on policy bc [because] it could be dangerous for them, too.

"If reporting harms someone, it is not only unethical but dangerous."

Australian content strategist and women in sport advocate Danielle Warby described the question as "How not to journalism".

"This is why we fight for diversity in sport media," she wrote on Twitter- which is currently rebranding to X.

"This question puts these players in danger. Those of us who have been there know this. Those who haven't shouldn't know better even if they did parachute in with no knowledge of women's football culture."

Under Moroccan law, acts between members of the same sex, termed as 'sexual deviancy', are criminalised and punishable by fines or jail time.

Morocco ended up receiving a thrashing in the match, going down 6-0 to two-time winners Germany.

The team are the only Arab nation competing and the first Middle Eastern squad to qualify for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Moroccan defender Nouhaila Benzina is the first player to wear a hijab at a world cup, after FIFA lifted a ban on the head covering imposed between 2007- 2014.

In the lead-up to the world cup, the sport's governing body caused a stir by banning pro-LGBTIQ+ 'One Love' armbands.

But players are allowed to wear eight different armbands that name social causes, including gender equality, inclusion and peace, but do not explicitly reference LGBTIQ+ rights.