A French Commentator Found Himself Embroiled In A Scandal Involving Arina Sobolenko
5- 11.11.2026, 18:38
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Mathieu Solier thought his microphone was turned off.
BeIN Sports commentator Mathieu Solier commented on the appearance of Belarusian tennis player Arina Sobolenko right in the middle of the broadcast of the WTA Finals. This was reported by RMC Sports.
The incident occurred during the first group group match between Sabalenka and the Czech player Karolína Muchová. After a commercial break, during which the tournament’s opening video was shown on air, Solier apparently didn’t notice that the broadcast had already resumed and said, “Look, look, she’s terrible.”
The remark quickly spread on social media and sparked a wave of criticism. Florent Uzó, Director of Programming at beIN Sports France , condemned the commentator’s remarks. “I express my regret and strongly condemn the comments made live on air tonight. These comments do not reflect the values of beIN Sports. We remain committed to treating all athletes and participants in our broadcasts with respect,” he wrote on X.
In the match itself, Sobolenko, the world’s No. 2 player, won with a score of 7–6 (7–2), 7–5. Her next group match will be against Russian Mirra Andreeva.
The WTA Finals are being held in Indian Wells, California.
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