A prominent French television host has issued an apology following her criticism of a soccer player’s choice to leave the World Cup for the birth of his first child. The controversy began when Belgian forward Jérémy Doku announced his intentions to travel to London for the birth of his baby.

France Pierron, a commentator, criticized Doku’s decision during her appearance on the show “L’Equipe de Choc,” describing childbirth as “a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless.” Her remarks triggered a backlash, leading to an apology from Pierron on Tuesday.

These remarks are solely my own and in no way reflect a collective position she posted on X. I understand that they may have shocked, offended, or hurt some of you, and I am sorry for that.

Her employer, the French sports daily L’Equipe, distanced itself from her comments and issued an apology to Doku in a statement. They emphasized that the remarks did not align with their values.

Doku successfully arrived in London for the birth of his son, Praise, and expressed gratitude on social media for the support received. “Shireen and Praise are doing great, and my heart is full of gratitude,” Doku mentioned. “Welcoming my son into the world is one of the greatest blessings God has ever given me. Thank you to the team for the support, now it’s time to get back to football and represent my country on the biggest stage.”

Belgium’s captain, Youri Tielemans, offered support for Doku and congratulated him, stating, I think having a child is the most beautiful thing in the world that you can have, and being there, it’s more than normal as a dad, as a mom, obviously. Tielemans, a father of three, emphasized the irreplaceable nature of such memories.

Doku missed Belgium’s World Cup draw against Iran due to a respiratory illness but was cleared to travel for his son’s birth. Belgium is scheduled to face New Zealand on Friday at BC Place, a match crucial for their advancement in the tournament. Belgium has drawn in its first two games.