London: Former English footballer Troy Deeney has come to the defense of Belgian winger J©r©my Doku after L'€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬°quipe presenter France Pierron criticized him for wanting to leave Belgium's World Cup camp to be with his wife during the birth of their first child.
According to Ghana Web, Pierron criticized Doku's decision to leave the World Cup camp in the USA, labeling fathers as 'completely useless' during childbirth. Doku's wife, Shireen, is expected to give birth in the second week of July, and the player plans to return home even if it means leaving the tournament at the quarter-final stage.
Deeney condemned Pierron's remarks, stating they undermine the significance of fatherhood. He emphasized the importance of childbirth to every parent and noted the decision would have been mutually agreed upon between Doku and the team. Deeney criticized Pierron's comments as unwarranted and advised her to refrain from making such statements.
Deeney shared his views on talkSPORT, stating, "I've heard what the lady said. I think having a child is obviously the greatest thing any human can do, in my opinion. And who are you to question somebody else's desire to be there with their child and their family? I think this would have been a conversation with Belgium beforehand."
He further expressed frustration over modern media's focus on sensationalism, longing for a time when straightforward criticism was acceptable. Meanwhile, Pierron has since apologized for her remarks, including describing childbirth as "disgusting" and questioning Doku's decision.