French Open organisers on Tuesday banned tennis player Maxime Hamou after he made several attempts to kiss a female reporter during a live TV interview. Hamou has apologised for the incident, which took place after he lost to Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas.
The 21-year-old held Eurosport journalist Maly Thomas around the neck and shoulders while she interviewed him after his first round defeat on Monday. “It was frankly unpleasant. If it had not been live on air, I would have punched him,” Thomas told the French edition of the Huffington Post.
“The tournament directors have decided to cancel the accreditation of Maxime Hamou following his reprehensible behaviour with a journalist on Monday,” said a Roland Garros statement.
The world number 287 has offered an unconditional apology. “I want to offer my deepest apologies to Maly Thomas if she felt hurt or shocked by my attitude during her interview,” Hamou told the French newspaper l’Equipe. “I just lived a wonderful week here in Roland Garros living my most beautiful emotions as a tennis player, and I let my overflow of enthusiasm express myself awkwardly towards Maly, who I know and sincerely respect. Nothing of all that is written was my intention. I am at her disposal to apologise to her in person if she so wishes. I learn every day from my mistakes to become a better tennis player and a better person.”
In May 2016, cricketer Chris Gayle was criticised for his inappropriate comments during an interview. The 36-year-old Jamaican was embroiled in a controversy in January, when he propositioned another female reporter during an on-field interview at the Big Bash in Australia.
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