“Absolutely nothing justifies cyberharassment and sexist insults. » Monday, Minister of Sports Marina Ferrari supported Vanessa Le Moigne, after the decision of the beIN Sports journalist to no longer cover football after insulting messages.
The journalist indicated on Instagram on Wednesday that she no longer wished to cover football after the end of the season, citing a series of insulting messages received after the Senegal-Morocco African Cup of Nations final (1-0 ap) on January 18 and her interview with Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy. This final ended in controversial conditions and created tensions between supporters of the two countries.
On Saturday, the Women Sports Journalists association denounced “cyberharassment and ordinary sexism” in this professional world, citing “insults, remarks about our physique, permanent questioning of our legitimacy” and providing its support to Vanessa Le Moigne.
“The road remains long”
“The testimonies relayed by the Women Sports Journalists association and the decision of Vanessa Le Moigne are deeply worrying. Nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies cyberharassment, sexist insults or calling into question the competence of professionals because of their gender,” Marina Ferrari said in a statement sent to the press.
“This situation shows one thing: there is still a long way to go. Sexism is violence, and it must be fought with determination,” underlines the minister, who expresses her “full support for Vanessa Le Moigne and all women journalists faced with these attacks.” She “calls on sports bodies, broadcasters, digital platforms and editorial staff to take their full share of responsibility alongside us, to protect their colleagues and to take concrete action against cyberharassment”.
