Denis Balbir, the painful disappearance

He is one of the faces, but above all one of the most recognizable voices among sports journalists who comment on football. Except that since 2022, Denis Balbir has remained silent and no longer appears on television or radio. Not because the sixty-five-year-old man voluntarily decided to do so, but rather because the media no longer calls on him. After having done his classes (and his hole) at Canal+Denis Balbir took over the management of France Televisions before engaging with Orangeto then continue his career at M6. And then everything suddenly stopped.

The journalist’s last television performance now dates back more than a year, on November 20, 2022 exactly, during a friendly match between Austria and Italy (2-0), then broadcast on W9group channel M6. In a long interview published Saturday by The Team, Denis Balbir spoke of his painful and brutal disappearance from the screens. “ We never suspect it, we always hope for a change, to see an opportunity open up when we are motivated like I am. (…) I always want it, I need it and finding myself on the sidelines always hurts a little. »

Double whammy

When he understood that the management of M6 had chosen to put him offside to replace him with Xavier Domergue, Denis Balbir once again had difficulty coping. “ No, we never understand. When you’re tenured and relatively settled, it hurts to hear: ‘We don’t really need you anymore’. I was surprised (…). » At the same time, the journalist was removed from the radio program he was presenting. “ Perhaps what hurt me the most was no longer hosting ‘On refait le match’ on RTL. » A double whammy for him.

In an attempt to analyze the choice of his former employer, Denis Balbir sought explanations. And according to him, his two controversial comments in 2018 (one on women who comment on men’s football, the other off-air but subsequently disclosed, with insults uttered against RB Leipzig players during a match of the Europa League against OM), had a role. “ No doubt, maybe… We’ll never know. On the women’s episode, I gave an opinion, perhaps a little old-fashioned (…). I regret it, it was a mistake. For the post-match in Marseille, I was not on the air… » A few years later, Denis Balbir still hopes to find a microphone. “ There is no age limit for commenting. (…) Maybe the channels are saying: ‘Balbir is too expensive’. But they are wrong. » The announcement is made.