TV Host Apologizes After Criticizing Jérémy Doku’s Decision To Exit World Cup For Birth of 1st Child

A French broadcaster has apologized after she received backlash for her comments on Jérémy Doku’s plan to exit the World Cup so he can be present for the birth of his first child. The soccer player travelled to London to be with his wife Shireen, who gave birth to their son, Praise, the Belgium team announced Monday, June 22, adding that Doku will “rejoin the squad tomorrow evening in Seattle as preparations continue for [the] next match against New Zealand.” Before Praise’s arrival, Doku told reporters earlier in June that Shireen was due the second week of July, at the time of the tournament’s quarter-final stage, and that he wanted to be at the birth even if his nation’s squad is still playing. “It ​depends on when it happens, but it’s my first child, so I ‌would ⁠definitely want to be there,” he said at the time, per Reuters, adding, “If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also ​know that football ​involves many ⁠other considerations. I know the federation supports its players and understands their situations. We’ll see what we ​can do.” On Friday, June 19, sportscaster France Pierron criticized the Manchester City player’s decision. “There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes. It might never happen again in your life,” she reportedly said, adding, “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.”