Charlie Hebdo cartoon about Deschamps’s late mother sparks outrage in France
The cartoon shows the national team coach lifting a funeral urn bearing the inscription ‘Maman’, as if it were a trophy.
Controversy has erupted in France over the reignited debate on the line between freedom of satire and respect for personal grief. Once again at the centre of the row is the latest cover of *Charlie Hebdo*, dedicated to France’s national team manager Didier Deschamps, who lost his mother, Ginette, a few days ago. The cartoon depicts the national team manager lifting a funeral urn bearing the inscription ‘Maman’, as if it were a trophy. The cartoon is accompanied by the phrase: “Didier Deschamps brings home the cup”, a clear reference to ‘Ramenez la coupe à la maison’, the famous song by Vegedream that became a symbol of France’s triumph at the 2018 World Cup.
The publication sparked a wave of criticism on social media: “despicable”, “shameful”, “horrible” and “senseless cruelty” were among the accusations levelled at the cartoon, with the weekly magazine accused of having crossed the line.
Condemnation has also come from the French Football Federation: “This cartoon has shocked me. It is inappropriate towards a man who is going through a time of great grief. The federation fully supports freedom of expression, but this cover remains disrespectful and indecent,” said the president, Philippe Diallo .
Meanwhile, Deschamps has returned to the United States after attending his mother’s funeral in France and has led his first training session since his return.
The session, which took place at the Bentley University campus in Waltham, Massachusetts, mainly involved the substitutes from Friday’s match, with the exception of midfielder N’Golo Kanté and forward Marcus Thuram.
