The Flemish kickboxer Jamal Ben Saddik is furious on SBS 6. The channel has canceled his participation in the Dutch version of Code van Coppens. “This is pure character assassination!”
The Ben Saddik family has been the target of several attacks in Belgium in the past month. From an explosion at Jamal’s parents’ house to shelling of a car wash affiliated with the family. One of Jamal’s brothers is said to have lost or stolen a significant shipment of cocaine Flemish media.
Jamal in jail
According to the AD the kickboxer himself is not a sweetheart and he is ‘more often linked to the Antwerp drug environment’. “For example, he is a suspect in the file of the cracked chat service Sky ECC. Saddik was arrested a year ago for that. He was also in jail for a month in connection with that case.”
Jamal himself is annoyed that his name keeps popping up in reports about the attacks in Belgium. According to him, they are not intended for him at all. “Everyone knows where I live. I’ve been in Amsterdam for a year. I’m training there all day, so if anyone wanted to, they could just come there. This is how media works.”
SBS 6 cancels Jamal
Nevertheless, SBS 6 cancels Jamal for the recordings of Code van Coppens, the Dutch version of the Flemish program of the same name. In this show, which is also presented here by a Flemish duo, Dutch celebrities race against time in search of clues in specially built spectacular escape rooms.
Marcel Kuijer, editor-in-chief of parent company Talpa Network, has sent Jamal an email that the kickboxer has published in his stories on Instagram.
‘We’re delaying it’
Jamal is thanked in this email for his interest in joining the program with Najib Amhali. “Unfortunately, on behalf of Talpa and the Belgian producer Roses are Blue, I have to inform you that we want to postpone the recording, with you as a team, which was planned on September 1st, until further notice.”
“This is because of the various reports about the troubled situation surrounding you and your family, as we have heard from the Belgian and Dutch press. It is too great a (financial) risk for us to schedule this now. As a result of this cancellation, Najib has also announced that it will not participate. We hope for your understanding.”
character assassination
Jamal is quite pissed about this cancellation. “This is pure character assassination! Thank you.”
Jamal’s story:
Jamal on Instagram: