BBC Sticks the Boot in Over Israel Soccer Match

Last night, Israel played Wales in a vital qualification game for soccer’s 2016 European Championships. Sadly and unsurprisingly, the match in Cardiff attracted anti-Israel protesters. The politics behind the game may have been appropriate for…

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Last night, Israel played Wales in a vital qualification game for soccer’s 2016 European Championships. Sadly and unsurprisingly, the match in Cardiff attracted anti-Israel protesters.

The politics behind the game may have been appropriate for a report on the BBC’s news website. However, this is what greeted visitors to the BBC’s sport website before and during the match:

Could the BBC not have found an illustrative photograph related to soccer? An image of a Welsh or Israeli soccer player? A panoramic view of the stadium?

Instead we see two protesters holding a Palestinian flag, a political image that should have no place on the BBC Sport website.

As for the match itself, Israel came away with a very credible 0-0 draw to keep their own qualifying hopes alive.

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Tags: BBC Sport, Cardiff, Euro 2016, football, photo bias, soccer, Wales v Israel

Simon Plosker

With over two decades of experience in various non-governmental organizations in the UK and Israel, Simon Plosker returned to HonestReporting in October 2022 as Editorial Director having previously been part of the organization’s management team from 2005 to 2020. Prior to his first spell at HonestReporting, Simon worked in Israel for NGO Monitor, BICOM, and served for a short period in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. He was Managing Editor of the Geneva-based NGO United Nations Watch for two years before moving back to the frontline defending Israel from media bias. Simon has a BSoc.Sc in International Studies and Political Science from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in History of International Relations from the London School of Economics. He immigrated to Israel in 2001 from London.

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