German News Channel Apologizes for Falsely Linking Moroccan Soccer Players to ISIS

The media accused Moroccan players Ilias Chair, Zakaria Aboukhlal and Abdelhamid Sabiri of being linked to the terrorist group Islamic State. On an image that went viral on social media, we see the three Moroccan players, each with a finger raised, celebrating Morocco’s victory.

This gesture was interpreted by the television as a trademark of Daesh, noting that it is carried out by different protagonists, in multiple fields and in various circumstances.

"We sincerely apologize for this error. We acknowledge that ISIS has appropriated this symbol. Needless to say, we had no intention of offending the religious feelings of the people concerned by the report," the channel said.