L'Équipe has disavowed and apologized for remarks by one of its on-air personalities who criticized Belgium winger Jérémy Doku for considering leaving the World Cup to attend the birth of his first child.
The network issued a formal statement late Sunday distancing itself from comments made by presenter France Pierron during Friday's broadcast of the show L'Équipe de Choc. Pierron had described childbirth as "a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless" and questioned Doku's priorities as he pursued what she called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place," Pierron said on air, responding to Doku's remarks about potentially missing matches for the birth. She pushed back against the notion that a player should step away during knockout rounds, emphasizing the rarity of such a tournament opportunity.
The Manchester City star, 24, had explained that his wife Shireen is due to give birth to their son in early July, precisely when Belgium hopes to be competing in the knockout phase. Doku's comment that "no one wants to miss a birth" prompted Pierron's response, which L'Équipe later stated did not reflect the network's values.
L'Équipe's formal apology signaled a clear rejection of the presenter's stance. The network provided no immediate clarity on whether Pierron would participate in Monday's scheduled broadcast of the cable show.
The episode underscores broader tensions at major sporting events between player personal responsibilities and tournament expectations, particularly when family milestones coincide with critical competitive moments.
Author James Rodriguez: "L'Équipe did the right thing shutting this down fast, but the fact that a major sports broadcaster needed to make this apology in the first place is a reminder of how tone-deaf some old-guard sports media remains about what it actually means to be a professional athlete and a father."
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