France\u2019s Jean-Clair Todibo apologises for \u2018nervous laugh\u2019 during minute\u2019s silence for Israel-Hamas victims, murdered French teacher\u060c<\/p>\n
French international Jean-Clair Todibo apologized on Monday for laughing during a minute’s silence in memory of victims of the Israel-Hamas conflict and a murdered French teacher ahead of Euro 2024 qualifying this week last.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a nervous laugh about this minute of silence but in no case did I make fun of the current situation,\u201d the 23-year-old Nice defender told journalists.<\/p>\n
Cameras captured Todibo laughing during the tribute to victims of the conflict between Hamas and Israel<\/a>, ahead of France’s 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Friday.<\/p>\n The minute’s silence was also observed in memory of a teacher killed last week<\/a> in Arras, northern France, in what the government described as an Islamist terrorist attack.<\/p>\n Watch every match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup live ad-free on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly ><\/b><\/p>\n Todibo, who is part of the France squad for Tuesday’s friendly against Scotland in Lille, said it was never his intention to offend.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to speak today about the scale of the situation and the interpretation of the situation which is quite crazy,\u201d he said before France\u2019s press conference in Lille.<\/p>\n \u201cThe context was unusual, we were among rival supporters who had made certain jokes and I had this nervous laugh that came out.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to apologize to anyone I may have offended, it\u2019s the least I can do. Let there be no mistake about this. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hurt because this taints the upbringing my mother gave me,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cSome said that I laughed during this minute of silence because I was making fun of the death of a teacher, you should know that my mother has worked in National Education for 20 years and I have immense respect for these people.<\/p>\n \u201cThis could have happened to my mother. This bothers me because it conveys an image that is not mine.<\/p>\n “I think I’m a boy with a very good education and who respects people.”<\/p>\n