I’ve been checking up on the FIFA World Cup scores, but I’ve barely watched any of the games. What I have been enjoying is all of the international visitors enjoying the US, and I think it’s great that tourists are getting to see different parts of the country, as opposed to only visiting New York or DisneyWorld or whatever. I’ve seen European football fans fall madly in love with Texas, Cleveland and the American South. They’re visiting Walmarts, Costcos and Bass Pro Shops. They’re awestruck of our chain restaurants, diners, stadiums, suburbs, friendliness and AC. It’s a spectacular cultural exchange, honestly. Bostonians want to “keep” the Tartan Army. America wants to keep that German tourist, Freddy.
Another part of the cultural exchange is that we’re seeing the somewhat terrible expectations on international soccer players. Take, for example, the Belgian player Jeremy Doku. Doku came into the World Cup, telling everyone that his wife is expecting their first child and he would step away from the WC so he could support her during the birth. A French broadcaster – a woman!! – said despicable things about his decision.
A French broadcaster is walking back her comments after she criticized Jeremy Doku, a Belgian soccer player, and his decision to leave the World Cup for the birth of his son.
“You have to realize that it’s truly a privilege to participate in a World Cup, it’s an incredible joy,” Channel L’Equipe presenter France Pierron said during an on-air appearance. “There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes. It might never happen again in your life.”
She added, “It’s truly a special moment, a childhood dream come true. You’re living out a childhood dream, yet you’re going to walk away from it all to attend the birth of your child — a disgusting moment, if you’ll pardon the expression, where the dad is completely useless.”
The Manchester City forward, 24, previously told Reuters that he plans to leave the World Cup when his wife Shireen Doku goes into labor next month.
“It’s my first child, so I would definitely want to be there,” Doku said last week.
After online pushback and widespread criticism, L’Equipe also responded about Pierron’s take, saying it “disassociates itself” from the comments, which were “very far removed from the group’s values,” The Athletic reported.
On X, Pierron also clarified that she was “expressing a personal opinion, within the context of a contentious exchange.”
“These remarks commit only me and in no way reflect a collective position,” she wrote. “I understand that they may have shocked, hurt, or wounded some of you, and I am sorry for that.”
Doku, who played 86 minutes in Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt, missed the Iran match on Sunday, June 21 due to respiratory illness. His status for the next match against New Zealand is uncertain.
Apparently, Doku’s wife gave birth on Sunday and he was able to fly back to England (where he lives, as he plays for Manchester) to support his wife. I cannot even believe this is a discussion. This is why so many (other) sports have players’ unions too – the NFL, MLB and the NHL all have players’ unions so they can negotiate things like paternity leave and family leave for the birth of their children. And for a sports commentator to go on air and say that childbirth is “a disgusting moment… where the dad is completely useless” is absolutely WILD.
Photos courtesy of IMAGO/Conor Molloy/Avalon and IMAGO/Graham Hunt/Avalon.
