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Press Council: caricature of Serena Williams is not racist

A caricature of tennis player Serena Williams has brought to the Australian newspaper “Herald Sun” racism – and sexism-accusations. According to the press Council in Sydney, but no media were violated standards.

In the case, it is a cartoon, which was published by the Australian leaf “Herald Sun” in September 2018 in Australia. The drawing of the cartoonist, Mark Knight, shows how an angry oversized Serena Williams, with thick lips and curly, from the head, protruding hairs and tramples on your tennis racket around. Next to her is a baby pacifier. In the Background the referee asks her opponent Naomi Osaka: “Can’t you just let them win?” Osaka is small, petite and feminine, with blonde, straight hair – in fact she has curls black Curls with blond streaks, and is greater than Williams.

After Knight had distributed the cartoon on Twitter, came up for criticism. The Harry Potter author JK Rowling called the presentation of Serena Williams “racist and sexist”. A total of commented, around 22,000 people Knights drawing. The most criticized is the presentation of the black tennis star. The cartoonist put out shortly afterwards, his Twitter account.


The Australian press Council received due to the publication of a number of complaints. Now, the Council stated that the display had triggered in some readers dissatisfaction. You not but have caused “considerable Anger, pain, or prejudice” and, therefore, applicable media standards are not violated. The newspaper had argued, the cartoon refer to the outburst of the US-athlete on the tennis court. Knight said at the time: “In the cartoon about Serena, it’s their bad Behavior that day, and not race.”

Sexism and double standards?

The former number one in the world rankings, had the referee Carlos Ramos, after their lost the finals against the Japanese Osaka on may 8. September 2018 at the US Open in New York, and sexism are accused of. In addition, the Superstar denounced a “double standard” in Tennis and said: “As a woman, you should be able to afford at least half as much as a man.” You will continue to fight for the rights of women. The referee had shown a yellow card, the now 37-Year-old three times and your opponent according to the rules, first a point and then a game is awarded.

Williams, who had thrown their racket on the ground, described Ramos as a “thief” and “liar”. The 23-time Grand Slam winner, has been demonstrated for their behavior with a fine in the amount of $ 17,000 (the equivalent of 14.700 euros). The Episode triggered a debate about whether Williams was punished more severely than some of the male Tennis Star with a similar behavior.

kle/AR (ape, rtre, dpa, afp)

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