Dekali analyzes Moroccan football's sporting achievement against digital disinformation

Major sports competitions have evolved beyond the green field, extending their battles into the digital space, according to Mohamed Bentouhla Dekali, a political science professor at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech. He argues that the competition doesn't end with the final whistle but transitions into a new phase of competing narratives, comments, and digital content.

Dekali points to the Moroccan national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup as a prime example of this phenomenon. He notes that the team's achievement was accompanied by a flood of divergent readings and misleading content, some of which sought to diminish its value or take facts out of context. In response, he advocates for the creation of a robust information environment built on professional media, institutional communication, media education, and digital culture.

This environment, Dekali explains, is crucial for enhancing society's ability to confront disinformation and safeguard the value of sporting achievements. He observes that major sports events have become arenas where athletic performance intertwines with image-making, public opinion shaping, and influencing collective perception. The digital space becomes a battleground for news, comments, images, and videos, with interpretations multiplying.

The professor further elaborates that the digital age has transformed sports into a tool of soft power for nations, with national team successes contributing to their international image. Traditional media now operate alongside content creators, influencers, digital platforms, and the public itself, who have become active participants in producing and disseminating information. While this broadens participation, it often prioritizes speed of dissemination over accuracy and verification.

Dekali highlights the growing influence of digital platform personalities and popular sports analysts outside traditional media. These figures can positively contribute by simplifying information and fostering balanced discussions. However, he warns that when sensationalism and engagement overshadow accuracy, or when conclusions are drawn from decontextualized facts, this influence can become a source of disinformation. Consequently, the most viral content is often the most controversial or emotionally charged, rather than necessarily the most accurate.