This Tennis Star Thought He Could Get Away with Groping a Female Reporter on Live TV

Men: stop assuming you can touch women without asking first.

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For reasons that presumably involve #sexism, #entitlement, and #patriarchy, French tennis player Maxime Hamou decided he had every right to forcibly clutch and kiss female reporter Maly Thomas while she was covering the French Open on live TV.

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In a truly cringe-worthy and infuriating video, Hamou can be seen putting his arm around the reporter—the first sign of boundaries being crossed—before leaning in for a kiss. He then grabs her shoulder and refuses to let her move. You can see the footage in this tweet from French politician Cécile Duflot, which is translated: "He kisses her by force, she tries to get away, he holds her by the neck and everyone... laughs #tired."

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Hamou is being investigated by the French Tennis Federation, and has since apologized, while Thomas says she "would have punched" him if they weren't on live television. In other words, she would have practiced self defense since she was being accosted by a strange man.

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Mehera Bonner
Entertainment Editor

Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.