Controversy erupts as Stan Wawrinka shows his support for right-wing French TV channel taken off air

Stan Wawrinka was recently involved in a moment of controversy as he showed his support for a French TV channel that has been taken off air. The Swiss at his peak was among the very best players in the world, putting up a tough fight against the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

The 39-year-old has clinched three Grand Slam titles in men's singles. He's not the youngest anymore, with his peak far behind him, but he's still around to the delight of many tennis fans.

Wawrinka remains a popular player because his style of play is rather exciting, but his personal life choices have left many fans in splits. Whether it's the saga with Donna Vekic from a couple of years ago or the NFT stuff, some of Wawrinka's choices have often been the subject of controversy.

His recent support for the French C8 channel, which has been heavily associated with the French far-right political movement, has erupted a new controversy. The channel was broadcasting its final broadcast before being taken off the air on the instructions of the Arcom regulation body.

During the broadcast, Stan Wawrinka called into the show hosted by his friend Cyril Hanouna to express support for the workers of the channel and the channel itself amid the move to essentially ban it from broadcast. The channel has been associated with the far-right political movement through its various shows, including the host Hanouna, whom Wawrinka considers a friend.

"I wanted to spare a thought for the 400 people who work for the channels and unfortunately this difficult decision... But I know you always take care of people, so I'm counting on you," Wawrinka said.

Hanouna is a controversial figure in France, having multiple allegations against him, including sexual assault and homophobia. While Wawrinka hasn't expressed many political opinions over the years, this was very disappointing for many tennis fans to see because both the channel and the host, in particular, are very controversial in France.

Fan reactions to Stan Wawrinka's endorsement

The Internazionali BNL d'Italia 2016 - Day One - Source: Getty

While Stan Wawrinka as an individual player is highly popular, many fans are not fans of his personal life. Quite a few of them expressed their disappointment on social media after the player supported the C8 channel.

"It's always the ones you most expect," one user wrote on reddit.

Another fan invoked Mirka Federer and her comment made towards Wawrinka over a decade ago when she heckled him during a match against Roger Federer, calling him a "crybaby."

"Very on brand. History does track. The NFT stuffs. Quick judgment. Mirka might be right about this one," another user wrote.

One user on Reddit claimed that Wawrinka's latest controversy would cost the player a French Open wildcard in 2025.

There goes his french open wildcard," reddit user wrote.

Time will tell whether Stan Wawrinka will become more open with his politics, but this one stunned many who considered him their favorite player.