In Sexual Violence Cases, Sports Media Still Separates the Man from the Champion

In the wake of growing scrutiny over how sports media handles allegations of sexual violence, a new book by French journalists Mejdaline Mhiri and Clothilde Le Coz provides a critical examination of industry practices. Titled La Zone d’impunité (The Zone of Impunity), the work investigates how journalists and media outlets often distinguish between an athlete’s personal conduct and their professional identity, effectively creating a shield that protects perpetrators while minimizing harm to victims.

Published on March 4, 2026, by Hugo Doc, the 244-page book draws on documented cases where media coverage has consistently framed sexual misconduct by athletes as isolated incidents rather than symptoms of systemic issues within sports culture. According to the authors’ analysis, this tendency to separate “the man” from “the champion” allows sports organizations and fans to maintain admiration for athletic performance while disregarding serious allegations of harm.

The book’s examination begins with a specific case from July 2024, during the French national rugby team’s tour of Argentina. As detailed in the text, certain players were accused by an Argentine woman of sexual violence, while others engaged in racist behavior on social media. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the authors note that media coverage quickly shifted focus to the players’ eventual return to competition, emphasizing their athletic redemption while giving minimal attention to the experiences of the accusers or the broader implications for team culture.

This pattern reflects what Mhiri and Le Coz describe as a “sexism in sport erected into a system,” where institutional and cultural norms prioritize the protection of male athletes’ reputations over accountability. The authors argue that such coverage is not merely negligent but actively contributes to an environment where victims are discouraged from coming forward, and where sports institutions face little pressure to implement meaningful safeguards or disciplinary measures.

Central to the book’s thesis is the role of sports journalism in shaping public perception. Mhiri and Le Coz contend that reporters frequently apply language that romanticizes, euph emizes, or relativizes allegations—describing accused athletes as “troubled talents” or framing incidents as “youthful indiscretions”—thereby diminishing the gravity of the acts committed. This narrative framing, they argue, serves to protect the athlete’s marketability and the financial interests of teams, leagues, and media partners, even as it undermines efforts to address sexual violence in sports.

The authors further highlight how this dynamic is reinforced by the close relationships between sports journalists and the individuals they cover. Whether through locker room access, press conferences, or social media interactions, journalists often develop personal or professional bonds with athletes, coaches, and administrators. These connections, the book suggests, can lead to implicit biases that favor maintaining access and positive relationships over rigorous, adversarial reporting—particularly when the subject is a high-profile star.

La Zone d’impunité does not limit its critique to individual journalists but extends it to the structural incentives within sports media. The 24-hour news cycle, the demand for exclusive content, and the financial reliance on advertising and broadcasting rights tied to star athletes create pressures that discourage critical examination of misconduct. Even well-intentioned reporters may find themselves complicit in narratives that prioritize continuity and spectacle over justice and accountability.

The book’s release in early 2026 coincides with a period of heightened awareness about sexual violence in sports, driven by high-profile cases across multiple disciplines and continents. While the authors acknowledge that some progress has been made in recent years—such as increased willingness to report allegations and greater visibility for survivor advocacy—they maintain that systemic change remains elusive without a fundamental shift in how sports media approaches these stories.

For readers seeking to understand the intersection of media practices, gender dynamics, and institutional power in sports, La Zone d’impunité offers a documented and critically informed perspective. By naming the patterns that allow misconduct to persist under the guise of athletic excellence, the authors aim to encourage more responsible journalism and to support efforts aimed at creating safer, more equitable sporting environments.

As conversations about accountability in sports continue to evolve, the insights presented in this work serve as a reminder that how we talk about athletes’ actions off the field is just as important as how we celebrate their achievements on it. Until sports media consistently centers the experiences of victims and holds perpetrators to account—without distinction between the person and their performance—the cycle of impunity is likely to persist.

For ongoing coverage of issues related to athlete conduct, media ethics, and institutional accountability in sports, readers are encouraged to follow updates from trusted sports journalism sources. The next step in this ongoing conversation will likely reach from further investigations, institutional responses, or survivor-led initiatives aimed at transforming how sports culture addresses sexual violence.