The story: The Olympic karate final has ended in controversy after Saudi karateka Tareg Hamedi was disqualified for striking his Iranian opponent Sajed Ganjzadeh with a prohibited high-kick. Some Saudi social media accounts have criticized the Turkish referee’s decision as politically motivated, especially since Hamedi had dominated his opponent throughout the match. Ganjzadeh ultimately won the gold medal as Hamedi was relegated to silver.  

The coverage: On Aug. 7, London-based Saudi outlet Asharq Al-Awsat published a story that characterized the decision to disqualify Hamedi...