Football world backs Doku after childbirth criticism

Jeremy Doku, the Manchester City winger, has made it clear that family comes first. Due to become a father next month, the 24-year-old has stated his intention to leave the Belgium national team camp to attend the birth of his first child, even if Belgium are still competing in the World Cup. His stance drew criticism from France Pierron, a presenter on L'Équipe's channel, who described a father as "completely useless" at the time of childbirth, calling the moment "disgusting." The backlash was swift and united across football and beyond.

Criticism and apology

Pierron's comments on L'Équipe's channel sparked outrage. In a statement, L'Équipe apologized, saying Pierron's remarks were "very far removed" from the network's values. Pierron also issued an apology, and reports in France indicated she would not present her show on Monday. The incident highlighted a broader debate about the role of fathers during childbirth and the pressures on professional athletes.

Doku's dilemma

Doku played 86 minutes in Belgium's opening 1-1 draw with Egypt in Group G but missed their 0-0 draw against Iran due to illness. His wife, Shireen, is due to give birth during the second week of July, which could coincide with a potential World Cup quarter-final for Belgium. "If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child," Doku told Reuters. "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."

Support from fellow players

England striker Ollie Watkins, who has two children, backed Doku. "I think someone labelled it disgusting and I think for a start that's not a way to label a birth," he said. "I've seen what my wife had to go through and that was quite smooth sailing but I know family members and friends that haven't had it that way. It only happens once – welcoming your first child to the world – and it is a blessing. There's a lot of times where you're away from family and friends during the season and it's very difficult, so to miss that would be tough and I see where he's coming from."

Union and expert backing

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) said demands placed on players should not come at the expense of "fundamental family moments." A PFA spokesperson stated: "While every situation is different, we believe players should be supported in balancing their professional responsibilities with important life events. Supporting players as people, not just athletes, is an important part of creating a healthy professional working environment."

The Fatherhood Institute, which supports men as hands-on fathers and caregivers, also backed Doku. Deputy chief executive Jeremy Davies told BBC Sport: "It makes me think of gladiators in the Colosseum. We want these men to be these heroic figures who exist for our entertainment. They get paid lots of money but there are some things that are worth a lot more."

Lack of paternity leave in football

FIFA regulations stipulate that maternity leave for female footballers should be "a minimum period of 14 weeks' paid absence," with eight weeks required after the birth. However, there is no specific provision for paternity leave in the men's game, leaving players to navigate their responsibilities on a case-by-case basis. One club reportedly had a car on standby outside the ground for a player whose partner was due to give birth, while a manager at a top-flight European club chose to watch a match on TV and relay instructions to his coaching staff rather than travel with the team, as his wife was about to have their second child.

"I was on the earpiece to the bench and 10 minutes into the game she started getting labour pains," said the manager, now working in the Championship. "We were 2-1 up at half-time but she was getting more into labour. I rang the hospital to say we were going to come in, but had to stop because we got a penalty. We scored, I knew we won the game, and we came right in. Our daughter was born two hours later. It's less common with managers because they are typically older but the game doesn't stop... you need to win the next game."