The criticism of British newspapers for their treatment of Black England players has resurfaced, particularly in the context of the recent Euro 2024 tournament. Ian Wright, a former England player, has expressed concerns that Black players like Bukayo Saka are being unfairly targeted and set up as scapegoats for the team’s failures. This follows a pattern observed during the Euro 2020 final, where Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho faced significant racist abuse after missing penalties.
Key Points:
- Recent Criticism: Ian Wright warns that Black players are being positioned as the “face of defeat” for England’s national team, highlighting a recurring issue of racial scapegoating in the media. Despite Saka playing only 25 minutes in a recent match, several newspapers prominently featured him on their back pages, leading to accusations of gaslighting and racism.
- Historical Context: After the Euro 2020 final, Rashford, Sancho, and Saka were subjected to a barrage of racist abuse online, which was widely condemned but highlighted the persistent problem of racism in both social media and traditional media.
- Media Representation and Racism: Studies show that UK media has issues with racial representation and often perpetuates harmful stereotypes, contributing to a broader societal issue of racism and discrimination.
- Calls for Change: Prominent figures like Rio Ferdinand have called for more robust actions against online racial abuse and have criticized the UK government and social media platforms for not doing enough to combat this issue. New platforms like WeAre8 are being launched to provide safer spaces for players and fans, aiming to reduce the prevalence of racial abuse in football and beyond.
Conclusion: The recent criticism of British newspapers for their treatment of Black England players underscores a persistent issue of racial bias and scapegoating in the media. Despite previous condemnations and calls for change, the recurrence of such incidents highlights the need for continued efforts to address racism both in media representation and societal attitudes.
Euro2024 #RacismInFootball #MediaBias #Equality #StandAgainstRacism
