He is 64 years old, thirty-eight of whom worked for the Sports Department of France Televisions which ended in dismissal, along with two of his colleagues, following the internal investigation opened in April following the harassment accusations. moral and sexism at “Stage 2” by journalist Clémentine Sarlat. Alain Vernon wants to defend his honor and announces to the “Parisian” his intention to sue France Télévisions at the industrial tribunal.
Do you understand the decision of France Télévisions?
ALAIN VERNON. No. I am stunned. My dismissal, like those of my two comrades whom I support wholeheartedly, is incomprehensible and unacceptable. I will obviously challenge it at the industrial tribunal. This unfair dismissal is based on false denunciations, defamatory remarks which create enormous damage to my career. Moreover, I am dismissed for "slight fault". If I had harassed women, I would have been fired for "serious misconduct".
The internal investigation conducted by an independent firm designates you by name. The conclusions of their 115 interviews testify to facts of moral harassment and sexist behavior, sentences of the style "I would fuck her well" ...
This is all absolutely false. I never uttered the sentences that I am reproached for. I have never crossed a red line in my work. First of all because my wife works at France Télévisions. She is outraged by what is happening to me. I assure you, she would have known if I had made "insistent dinner requests" to one of my colleagues. Secondly, because I am one of the most feminist in the editorial staff. As union representative and then staff representative, I defended several women in cases of sexual harassment in the house. For years, I have supported women's sport, especially football, at arm's length. In short, if I was a misogynist, it would know. I received messages of support from around fifty employees of this editorial staff and from several players of the French football team.
These accusations were not invented ...
These are settling of scores. There are three women in all who accuse me in the final report. One of them hasn't spoken to me for at least ten years because she blames me for an old union fight ...
Have you been heard by the cabinet?
Yes, but they didn't ask me to explain specific facts, or to provide evidence. They did not confront the testimonies or look for witnesses, as one does in a journalistic or police investigation.
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Do you feel like you've worked for thirty years in a sexist service?
In the time of Robert Chapatte or more recently Pierre Salviac, it was very masculine. Women were not welcome. At the time, I was fighting for them. At the Sydney Games, I denounced a director who had questionable practices towards women. And I was kicked out of "Stage 2". But that was twenty years ago! For six years, there has been a profound renewal in the editorial staff. Eleven women journalists came to our service. The atmosphere has never been so nice.
What is your message to Delphine Ernotte, the boss of France Television?
I support Delphine Ernotte 100% on the fight against sexism. And the fact that there aren't enough women in sports writing. Less in his hunt for white men over 50. In this case, she took these women at their word. And we were sacrificed for the example. I denounce a witch and man hunt, led by blind feminism. Many know that she made a mistake because she had promised the CSA exemplary sanctions. In this case, the democracy of opinion trampled on the general principles of law. You can't fire people blindly without checking. #MeToo killed me.
