Jérémy Doku returned to Belgium’s World Cup squad in New Mexico on Tuesday after attending the birth of his first child, as France Pierron, a presenter on France’s L’Équipe, was suspended from the airwaves until 3 July for criticising the forward’s decision to miss a match for the birth.

L’Équipe announced Pierron’s suspension on Tuesday, citing her remarks on the 23 June broadcast of *L’Équipe de Choc* in which she described the moment of childbirth as “a disgusting moment” and claimed “the father is useless.” The channel later distanced itself from her comments, which drew immediate backlash across French and Belgian media.

Doku, who secured permission from the Belgian Football Association, was in London on Monday for the birth of his son, whose name was revealed as Latta on Tuesday. The 23-year-old forward left the United States squad on Sunday ahead of Belgium’s second Group E fixture against Slovakia and flew to London, returning to team training in Albuquerque on Tuesday evening. He is expected to feature against New Zealand in the third match, scheduled for Saturday in San Diego.

Pierron apologised on Monday, acknowledging that her words had been “hurtful and inappropriate.” L’Équipe said her suspension reflected the gravity of the remarks and the need to uphold professional standards. The incident has reignited debates about parental leave in elite football, where players rarely miss matches for family events despite FIFA’s family-care protocols introduced for the 2026 tournament.

Belgium manager Domingos Paciência reiterated on Tuesday that Doku’s absence had been formally approved and praised the player’s “responsibility and humanity.” The Royal Belgian Football Association confirmed that Doku’s travel and participation complied with FIFA’s regulations, which allow up to three days’ absence for exceptional family circumstances.

The controversy contrasts with FIFA’s decision on the same day to strip a Paraguayan radio commentator, Jorge Vera, of his World Cup accreditation after he described a referee’s red card for his compatriot Miguel Almirón as having “killed football.” Vera’s outburst followed the 1-0 loss to Turkey in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Equipe: Η δημοσιογράφος Φρανς Πιερόν εκτός «αέρα» για την επίθεση στον Ντοκού Η παρουσιάστρια της εκπομπής «lÉquipe de Choc» τέθηκε προσωρινά σε διαθεσιμότητα μετά τα σχόλια της για την επιλογή του Βέλγου επιθετικού να φύγει από τις ΗΠΑ για τη γέννηση του παιδιού του

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