BBC Apologizes for Controversial Question to Morocco Women's Team Captain Ahead of World Cup Opener

In a recent media conference before Morocco's Women's World Cup opener against Germany, the BBC came under fire for an "inappropriate" question posed to the captain of the Morocco women's national team, Ghizlane Chebbak. A reporter from the British news organization's World Service asked about the presence of gay players in the squad and how they navigate life in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal.

The press conference moderator intervened, deeming the question too political and restricted the discussion to football-related inquiries. However, the journalist insisted that the question was about people and not politics, urging Chebbak to respond.

The BBC issued an apology following the incident, acknowledging that the question was inappropriate and expressing no intention to cause harm or distress.

The Moroccan law criminalizes same-sex relationships, referring to them as "acts of sexual deviancy." Article 489 of the penal code stipulates prison terms of up to three years and fines for engaging in same-sex relations.

Witnesses in the room reported that some members of the Moroccan media were audibly dismayed by the question, finding it out of line and potentially harmful to the players. Shireen Ahmed, a reporter for CBC Sports present during the press conference, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of harm reduction in reporting and highlighting the danger of posing such questions in a country where it is forbidden.

Both FIFA and the Moroccan Football Federation have not responded immediately to CNN's request for comment on the matter.

Morocco's Women's World Cup campaign began with a heavy defeat against Germany, but the event has been marked by FIFA's initiative to allow team captains to wear armbands promoting various social causes. While the themes of gender equality and inclusion have been acknowledged, there is no explicit mention of LGBTQ rights in the armband options.