A celebration of President Emmanuel Macron is sparking controversy in France after a video was released showing the ruler appearing to drink a bottle of beer with Toulouse rugby players in celebration of winning the national league title over the weekend .
The video circulated on social media and television and shows Macron, 45, receiving a bottle of Corona beer in the club’s dressing rooms after the final played on Saturday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Macron downed a bottle of beer in one gulp after “Toulouse”‘s victory in the French Rugby Championship pic.twitter.com/VLL9BQJB6j
-Andrii (@Andrii2603) June 18, 2023
With just one sip, the president drinks the entire bottle in 17 seconds, to the applause and shouts of the coaching staff and players of Toulouse, who beat La Rochelle 29-26.
Although Macron is a real sports fan and usually visits the dressing rooms of the French teams, such as during the World Cup final in Qatar, this time he was the target of criticism and nasty comments.
“Toxic masculinity in political leadership in just one image,” environmental activist Congresswoman Sandrine Rousseau criticized on Twitter.
Government deputy Jean-René Cazeneuve responded in defense of Macron, saying he was just a “president who shares the joy of 23 players fulfilling their traditions”.
Associations and doctors specializing in the fight against addiction also criticized the president for drinking a beer in one gulp, when he should be the “example of healthy behavior”.
According to a note from the French Ministry of Health in 2021, alcohol consumption is associated with the death of nearly 49,000 people per year.
Source: DN
