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French tennis player Maxime Hamou has been banned from the French Open after locking his arm around a female reporter's neck and kissing her repeatedly on live television.
Key points:
- World No.287 Maxime Hamou repeatedly kissed TV journalist while holding her about the neck and shoulders
- Journalist Maly Thomas says she "would have punched him" if she wasn't on live TV
- Hamou issues apology after being banned from Roland Garros by French Tennis Federation
Hamou, 21, kissed TV journalist Maly Thomas while holding her around the neck, with the reporter trying to duck away.
Following a first-round loss, Hamou appeared in jovial spirits, but his interview degenerated into uncomfortable viewing as he kept pulling Thomas towards him while she repelled his advances.
The French Tennis Federation has condemned Hamou, ordering an investigation into the incident.
"The management of the tournament has decided to revoke Maxime Hamou's accreditation following his reprehensible behaviour with a journalist yesterday," the FFT said in statement.
Thomas has described Manou's actions as "frankly unpleasant".
"If I hadn't been live on air, I would have punched him," she was quoted as saying in The Huffington Post.
The world number 287 has offered an apology in a statement on Facebook.
"I offer my deep apologies to Maly Thomas if she feels hurt or shocked by my attitude during her interview," he said.
"I have just spent a magnificent week here at Roland Garros... and I expressed my beautiful emotions as a tennis player crudely towards Maly, who I know and respect sincerely.
"I'm still learning every day from my mistakes to become a better tennis player and a better person."
Presenters laughed along as kissing unfolded
Eurosport, whose presenters appeared to laugh along while Hamou was kissing Thomas, also issued an apology.
"We sincerely regret the incident that occurred during yesterday evening's interview between Maly Thomas and Maxime Hamou," it said in a statement.
"The behaviour of the interviewee was highly inappropriate and we do not condone such conduct in any way.
"Maly is a highly respected journalist and we are pleased that a full apology is being offered."
The treatment of female sports journalists has come under the spotlight before, with West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle asking former Channel Ten journalist Mel McLaughlin on a date on live TV.
It sparked a huge backlash against Gayle, with McLaughlin saying it took her by surprise despite suggestions she should have known what to expect from the batsman during the Big Bash coverage.
France Sports Minister Laura Flessel said Manou's actions were serious and should not be trivialised.
"No, a live aggression is nothing funny. Never allow it to happen, never trivialise such things," she wrote on Twitter.
Topics: tennis, sport, women, france
First posted