The story: Winfred Yavi, a Bahraini runner of Kenyan origin, has bagged the first gold medal for the island nation at the Paris Olympics. The win has sparked mixed reactions among Bahrainis and the wider Arab world. Some view it as highlighting alleged sportswashing by Manama—a term for when sports are used to improve reputations tarnished by issues such as rights abuses. Others point to a claimed trend of naturalization of foreigners in the Gulf Arab monarchy. The latter is a particularly contentious matter in Bahrain, which has long been criticized for stripping indigenous Bahrainis—particularly dissidents—of their nationality.

The coverage: Bahrain’s Al-Watan daily on Aug. 7 reported that Yavi set a record when she won the women's 3,000-meter...