“Perhaps we missed something despite our devices” defended Claude Atcher in an interview with “Journal du dimanche”, after the revelations of the newspaper “L’Equipe”, which evokes a “management by terror “.
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He denies any abuse. The boss of the organizing committee for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Claude Atcher, assured in an interview published on Sunday July 31 in The Sunday newspaper (article for subscribers) that there was “never had any alerts” concerning the social climate that reigns within the body, while revelations published in the press denounce the management of the former rugby player.
“When we do an internal analysis, we don’t have the impression of living in such an environment. That doesn’t mean that we have to hide the problem. Maybe we missed something despite our devices”said Claude Atcher in the columns of the weekly.
His reaction follows the einvestigation carried out by the Labor Inspectorate, after the revelations of the newspaper The Team. The daily published an article at the end of June in which employees of the organizing committee, former and present, denounce on condition of anonymity the “management by terror” set up by Claude Atcher and his chief of staff within the organization. The testimonies also evoke cascading resignations and anxiety attacks. The Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, immediately seized the Labor Inspectorate.
“That we described a social malaise of this level challenged me and led me to take measures. With my teams, we immediately established a five-point plan”, explained Claude Atcher. Among these measures, he detailed, “a permanent listening system that allows employees to express themselves anonymously so that they benefit from appropriate support”.
Asked about his style, Claude Atcher evokes “an intergenerational gap” with the teams he manages. “There is perhaps this difference in culture with my paternalistic management. I am able to tell someone face to face that their work is not good. Systematically, I add: ‘Be careful, this is not your person who is targeted'”, he defended himself.