Why Is Western Media Attacking Popular Egyptian Football Star Aboutrika?

Former Egypt international footballer has been hit with monumental backlash after describing homosexuality as "a dangerous ideology."

Bloomberg, The Times, CNN, and many other media outlets criticized Aboutrika for calling for boycotting homosexual-related campaigns in a live punditry appearance on beIN Sports.

beIN Sports, which has a large viewership across the Middle East, has a TV rights deal with the Premier League to broadcast matches.

Each year, all Premier League matches between 27 November and 2 December have been dedicated to supporting homosexuality.

During these two rounds, all league teams will wear gay support slogans on their shirts, and banners would be placed in the stands with rainbow flags.

A Premier League spokesperson reacted to the opinions expressed, saying: "We wholeheartedly disagree with the pundit's views.

"The Premier League and its clubs are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion and making clear football is for everyone."

 

 

 

Standing Morals

43-year-old Mohamed Aboutrika won the BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2008 and was capped 100 times by his country, he’s considered one of Egypt’s greatest footballers.

In January 2014, the African Football Confederation (CAF) announced that the player had won the Award for Best Player in Africa (within the continent) to become the first footballer to receive an official (non-honorary) award after his retirement.

Standing on his honored career, he called on Arab players playing in the Premier League to address the official campaigns of the league's management to support homosexuals.

"Homosexuality is not suitable for Islam and against human nature, especially since all heavenly religions are fighting this phenomenon," Aboutrika said during an intervention in the analytical studio of beIN Sports.

The player explained that the phenomenon of homosexuality "does not fit the customs and traditions in Arab and Islamic society," stressing that this behavior "has nothing to do with freedom and human rights, because it is the opposite of humanity."

"Our Lord Almighty honors you, and religions honor you, while you insult yourself," he added.

"We must address as media professionals, analysts and athletes, and the role of sheikhs and scientists also to address this phenomenon, and the role of the players is great, not just a football message," he said.

"You defend a valuable need and increase the value of man. Sports messages enter every house, so we have to deal with them."

 

 

 

Reactions

For its part, the English newspaper The Guardian reported that the network channels beIN Sport and scolded Aboutrika and his obscenity to the statements he made, but there is no intention to dispense with his services.

"We condemn the incredibly homophobic statements made by Mohamed Aboutrika, and we support and stand in solidarity with any member of the LGBT community who has been affected by them," said Chris Bowros, one of its members, in remarks to the same newspaper.

Mohamed Sirajuddin, a member of al-Ahli's board of directors, criticized the attack by the English press against retired Red Castle star Mohamed Aboutrika.

"A world that demonstrates urbanization and freedom of opinion and expression," Sirajuddin said in a brief statement on his personal Twitter account.

"The first thing that corresponds to a different and natural view of the racist creation is that it appears and spreads, and the attack comes down. Something disappointing. Together for a clean sport and free opinions,” he tweeted.

 

 

 

Arab Solidarity

In response to the vicious attack on Aboutrika, the hashtag (We are all Aboutrika), and (We Support Aboutrika) are currently trending on twitter, and here we will show some examples.

One of the fans said: “Aboutrika represents me, and I am with him, I forbid what God forbids, and what religions forbid, and I would die for this.” Another fan tweeted: “You will not walk alone, Aboutrika, you are the only special one in this dirty world.”

One fan wrote: “Our society agrees with you, Aboutrika, that the freedom they claim will take them to Hell. They criticize you because you are right, but you will never be alone.”

Another fan wrote: “This guy is just saying in Arabic, to an Arab audience in an Arabic tv channel, that we are not supposed to agree with this 'rainbow epidemic' that is invading the Western world, but it seems Western 'norms' must rule everywhere in this Planet.”

Finally, one wrote: “The standard of their claimed freedom is only what they believe, what they allow and simply you must believe, support and pass on regardless of your religion, ideas, and beliefs. Against that phenomenon, against forcing everyone to support.”

 

 

 

Sweeping Popularity

Aboutrika enjoys wide popularity among Arab audiences due to his moral and valuable positions on several occasions.

In 2008, when he scored a goal in one of the matches, he raised his t-shirt to reveal a banner saying (Sympathize with Gaza), during the Gaza war.

In another match, he lifted up his t-shirt (We Sacrifice Ourselves for the Messenger of God), due to a Denmark caricature depicting the Muslims’ prophet in a sarcastic way.

In 2012, when a mass killing occurred in Port Said’s stadium in Egypt, he stood with the victims, and even kept supporting their families with a certain amount of money on a monthly basis till this day.

These positions and many others made the whole Arab world chant for Aboutrika in certain moments, from Algeria to Palestine.

In May 2021, fans cheered in support of Palestine on Friday during the final of the African Super Championship between al-Ahly of Egypt and The Renaissance of The Moroccan Volcano, which was held in Doha, Qatar, and then they chanted for Aboutrika consequently.

Till this day, Al-Ahly club still celebrates Aboutrika’s birthday through his twitter and Facebook pages

 

 

On December 1, 2021, at Qatar stadium, Egypt was facing Lebanon in the Arab world cup. Fans were keen to support Aboutrika in his recent controversy. They kept calling Aboutrika’s name, singing and cheering for him during the match.

In 2019, Fans of the African Cup of Nations in Egypt renewed their cheers for Aboutrika, during the match of the Moroccan national team.

The fans of the Senegal-Tanzania match also cheered from the same tournament to Aboutrika.