ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights some of the key issues that sports journalists need to consider when they cover stories concerning “race,” racism and cultural difference. One of the few studies to explore racism in sports journalism highlights that the system of press regulation in Britain does not protect minority groups from discrimination and cultural bias, an issue the National Union of Journalists has raised for many years. In contrast, there is a paucity of research on the representation of “race” in the British sports media, and the few studies that do exist tend to focus on the tabloid press rather than the broadsheets and broadcasters. The chapter examines Raheem Sterling’s unprecedented criticism of the British media in 2018 and discusses industry guidelines on discrimination. It explores how the sports media is responding to demands to address cultural bias and make the profession more representative.
