- Several media outlets have come under fire
- The picture in question features Bukayo Saka
- CEO Tony Burnett emphasized the media's responsibility
Several media outlets have come under fire for their choice of photo to depict England’s defeat to Iceland.
The picture in question features Bukayo Saka, who came on as a substitute late in the game.
Former England player Ian Wright highlighted the issue on social media, suggesting the selection was deliberate.
Newspapers like The Star and The Sun used Saka’s image on their back pages, while The Telegraph featured him in a player ratings post.
Kick It Out, an organization combatting racism in football, expressed concern through an open letter. CEO Tony Burnett emphasized the media’s responsibility and highlighted the online racial abuse faced by Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho after the Euro 2020 final.
The letter urged editors to consider the impact of their choices and stressed that negative portrayals of Black players can discourage them from the sport and embolden online abusers.
Delroy Corinaldi of the Black Footballers Partnership echoed these concerns, calling the use of Saka’s image “divisive” and accusing the media of repeating past mistakes.
This incident comes on the heels of similar controversies in 2018, when Raheem Sterling criticized the media for targeting young Black footballers.
Football journalist Darren Lewis also weighed in, acknowledging the concern about Saka being unfairly singled out.
The BBC has reached out to several media outlets and press regulatory bodies for comment.
