Rugby: Claude Atcher, the former general director of the World Cup, filed two complaints

Claude Atcher, former general director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, files a complaint. MAXPPP – Laurent Coust

Dismissed from his position in October 2022 for management and a work climate that caused anxiety towards employees, Claude Atcher, the former general director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, filed two separate complaints against October 2023. It targets in particular the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera and the communication carried out against her.

Claude Atcher, former general director of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, filed a complaint in Paris to denounce the conditions under which he was dismissed in October 2022, AFP learned on Tuesday October 17 from a source close to the case.

Mr. Atcher filed two separate complaints against , confirming information from the Chained Duck.

A "management of terror"

The Atcher affair began in June 2022 following an article in the sports daily L'Equipe revealing anonymous testimonies reporting a “work climate” (…) extremely degraded " within the Public Interest Group (GIP) France 2023, with "deep social unease" among the staff.

S'would mix professional exhaustion (burn-out), resignations and anxiety attacks under the influence of "management by terror&quot ; exercised by Claude Atcher and his chief of staff.

The Ministry of Sports immediately decided to contact the labor inspectorate regarding "concerning elements". On August 29, 2022, this ministry announced the dismissal "as a precaution" of Claude Atcher during the time necessary for the conclusion of the Labor Inspectorate investigation.

The complainant denounces "judicial and media relentlessness"

On October 11, 2022, less than a year before the start of the World Cup, currently at the semi-final stage, Claude Atcher, officially dismissed from his position, denounced a “relentless judicial and media.

His lawyers, Emmanuel Moyne and Geoffroy Goubin, did not wish to comment on this complaint on Tuesday.

According to Le Canard chainé, the complaints target in particular "the'intense communication campaign" which would have been carried out against him by the Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castera, but also the conditions in which the testimonies about him were collected.

When asked, the minister's entourage did not wish to comment and the GIP did not react immediately.

Claude Atcher targeted by influence peddling and corruption investigations

Mr. Atcher will challenge the termination of his contract with the GIP before the Paris industrial tribunal on October 31, 2023.

These revelations gave rise to two openings of preliminary investigations in Paris, one for influence peddling and corruption concerning "contracts passed' quot;, "the ticket office" and "the vehicles made available" of Mr. Atcher, the other for "moral harassment".