Walid Acherchour, columnist of the show After Football on RMC, announced that he was stepping back from the program. This decision comes as a result of strong criticism after the broadcast of a program controversy, in which he had not participated, devoted to the place of Islam in sport.
A divisive debate on the excesses of Islamism
As a reminder, on Thursday, April 3, the show After Football welcomed Renaissance MP Caroline Yadan. Invited to discuss a parliamentary report co-written with Julien Odoul, elected member of the National Rally, the debate focused on the “communitarian and Islamist excesses in sport”During the broadcast, Caroline Yadan made strong statements about the presence of Islam in certain sporting spheres, statements which were perceived as stigmatizing, even Islamophobic, by a section of public opinion.
What further fueled the outrage was the lack of opposition during this segment, which gave the impression of a one-sided discourse on such a sensitive subject. Many listeners and internet users expressed their discontent on social media, calling out Walid Acherchour, even though he was not present on the show.
Faced with the scale of the reactions, the columnist published a statement on his networks, in which he expressed his discomfort:
"I was obviously shocked, like many others, by the angle of the debate during the L'After Foot broadcast on Thursday. On issues that affect the identity of millions of people – in this case, Muslims – I cannot accept that it be treated in this way, crossing this line full of shortcuts."
He also announced that he had decided to withdraw from the show:
"I have decided to take a step back from the show for the next few days and am talking with management to find a solution while respecting my obligations."
Gilbert Brisbois reacts
Gilbert Brisbois, the show's main host, quickly reacted to calm tensions, stating that Walid Acherchour remained "always welcome" in After Football, and emphasizing the importance of diversity of voices within the team.
