Nigerian-born British rugby star, Maro Itoje has added his voice against racism, as he believes a chain of discrimination is trailing Manchester United of England striker, Marcus Rashford, megasportsarena.com reports.
In a thinly veiled allegation that journalists and analysts give prferences to white players ahead of blacks, Maro Itoje has questioned the media over the treatment of Marcus Rashford following his work highlighting the issue of child food poverty.
Rashford has drawn widespread praise for highlighting the problems facing underprivileged families, and getting the Government to back-track and announce free meals for disadvantaged children over the Christmas holidays.
Rashford’s personal finances and investment choices were scrutinised in the media following his high-profile campaign over the past few months, but Itoje feels the 23-year-old’s influential campaign has brought with it “inconsistent” media scrutiny compared to reporting on other white athletes.
Itoje told Sky Sports: “The media arguably have a large responsibility more than most as they shape the public’s views and perception. I have seen some of the stuff regarding Marcus Rashford and some of the brilliant things he is doing.
“It makes me ask some questions about what is the intent behind it. It’s not the first time. Raheem Sterling highlighted some of these issues and the inconsistencies with regards to their reporting on black athletes compared to white athletes.
“This isn’t just tabloid and sports media. This is often the same when just reporting news and even the criminal justice system. It is far and wide and an all-encompassing thing we need to try and get right.”
