Moderator Hygerta Sako and the show's panelists received the live broadcast with Burreli sports club footballer Arnold Kwaku Siaw, after the Burreli-Pogradeci match, with laughter.
The 21-year-old footballer from Ghana was giving a post-match interview for the sports show "Super Gol" on Albanian Public Radio Television.
Moderator Sako is seen exchanging laughter and jokes with panelists Ardian Behari, Gerd Haxhiu and Klajdi Kola. She said that there were problems with the screen and they could not see the player well due to the quality of the video, but for many viewers it was perceived as mockery and racism towards the color of the footballer's skin.
The footage was widely shared on social media and many citizens described it as an "embarrassing moment" on public television.
Public television did not take an official stance on this situation, but invited to the show "In Real Time" on RTSH, moderator Sako denied any racist approach towards the footballer.
She said the situation was misunderstood and that the laughter had occurred earlier due to a technical problem during the broadcast.
"It was impossible for me to reproduce it as a name, because it is not a well-known character, we are saying that as soon as you see it as a portrait you recognize it. It was a situation where I was laughing at myself and with a problem with my eyes that both the studio and my guests know about and we always joke about. The laughter was in vain, just as the crying that you cannot stop and there are moments that you cannot control", said moderator Hygerta Sako, adding that during her 31 years of work in the media, there has never been a case where she has been accused of discriminating against someone.
On the other hand, Burrel's sports club expressed outrage over the inappropriate and, according to them, "racist" comments made on a sports show towards their footballer.
"Such language, regardless of whether it is disguised as a 'joke', has no place in sport or in our society. Football is a game that brings people together, regardless of colour, race or origin, and any kind of underestimation of an athlete for such reasons is unacceptable."", said the Burrel Sports Club in its official response.
Among other things, they said they expect RTSH and the show's hosts to take appropriate responsibility and publicly apologize.
Reactions to the case
The Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, in a public reaction, stated that the media had been made aware of the case and called the situation "not very professional." The Commissioner asked RTSH to have a clear institutional stance following the reaction of the Burrel club.
"...due to the concern created and the avoidance of situations that may imply bullying, ridicule or contempt due to specific characteristics that may be related to citizenship, skin color, appearance, and so on", said the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.
The Commissioner further stated that such national television platforms have a public responsibility for the messages they convey.
According to Law No. 10221/2010 “On Protection from Discrimination”, any form of discrimination or unequal treatment based on race, color or origin is prohibited and may be investigated by the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.
On the other hand, the organization "Social Justice" condemned the event and emphasized that this normalization of racist language shows that we are facing a deep-rooted phenomenon of discrimination and contempt towards people of color and foreigners in Albania. According to them, racism is not humor.
"RTSH, instead of being a model of respect, ethics and equality, has allowed an exclusionary and hate-inciting message to be transmitted on its airwaves. The racism displayed on television is not an isolated case or a harmless media incident. It shows a symptom of a much deeper problem, related to the way our society treats foreigners, especially those of color or those who come from poor countries.", Social Justice expressed.
They demanded an investigation of the case by the AMA for violations of professional ethics, a public apology from RTSH, and a reaction from other institutions that implement policies against racism and discrimination against people of color in the country.
Erisa Kryeziu has completed higher studies in Journalism and Communication and Master of Science in Public Relations at the University of Tirana. She has been a journalist and project manager at Citizens.al for five years, where she reports on social issues and human rights, especially on issues of rights at work, in education, gender equality, marginalized groups, people with disabilities such as and for environmental issues. At the same time, she works as a project coordinator with a focus on youth and media education. User of new reporting techniques such as "Mobile Journalism" and citizen engagement tools in reporting (ECR-Engage Citizens Journalism).
