France Pierron apologizes for comments on Jeremy Doku's fatherhood decision

France Pierron, a French sportscaster, issued an apology after criticizing Belgian soccer player Jeremy Doku for prioritizing the birth of his child over participation in the World Cup. During an on-air discussion, Pierron referred to the childbirth process as 'disgusting' and stated that the father is 'completely useless' during such events. Doku, who plans to leave the tournament to support his wife Shireen Doku, expressed the importance of being present for the birth of their first child. Following backlash, Pierron clarified her comments did not reflect the views of L'Equipe, which distanced itself from her remarks. Doku played in Belgium's recent match against Egypt but missed a subsequent game due to illness; his status for the upcoming match against New Zealand remains uncertain.

• 5:05 PMYahoo Sports — Sportscaster Apologizes for Calling Childbirth 'Disgusting,' Saying World Cup Player Shouldn't Miss Game for His Baby's Birth