Sixteen years after the Knysna fiasco, Raymond Domenech breaks his silence. The former French national team coach has vehemently distanced himself from the Netflix documentary The Bus, the Blues on strikewhom he accuses of being “totally biased” and of having betrayed his trust.
Raymond Domenech didn't mince words. In a lengthy message posted on his social media, the former French national team coach denounced the treatment he received in the Netflix documentary about the Knysna episode during the 2010 World Cup.
While the film revisits one of the biggest upheavals in the recent history of the French national team, Domenech believes the documentary should have been a work of "explanation, reflection, and calm analysis." He claims, on the contrary, that he saw in it an "extraordinarily violent indictment" against him.
"A completely biased film"
Raymond Domenech criticizes the documentary's creators for presenting a biased version of events. According to him, the film disregards his statements, his personality, and the commitments he made when he participated.
The former national team coach claims that the production company failed to keep its word, particularly regarding a right of review which he presents as essential to his participation in the documentary. He accuses the filmmakers of prioritizing sensationalism over journalistic rigor.
Intimate notes at the heart of his anger
Another key point in his message was the use of notes from his personal diary. Domenech believes these personal writings should never have been exposed “as is.” He describes these notes as those of a man under immense pressure during a period of extreme tension.
In his text, Raymond Domenech says he feels “hurt and betrayed”, going so far as to describe the result as “a rape of my soul”.
Here is the full text of his message:
"16 years later, this was supposed to be the documentary of explanation, reflection and calm analysis.
It was an extraordinarily violent indictment against me personally.
It was supposed to be a well-made documentary, where each side of the story would be presented fairly.
It was a totally biased film with a nauseating degree of partiality.
I did not agree to participate in this documentary to get attention, nor to settle scores.
I gave up bitterness a long time ago, and what was meant to be therapy has become a hateful garbage dump.
The production of this film, which changed twice in two years, failed to keep its promises and betrayed my trust.
We had decided, as a prerequisite for my participation, that I would have a right to oversee everything.
This was ultimately refused to me with complete impunity and the utmost dishonesty.
I would never have approved such a version because it reflects neither what I said (choose the juiciest excerpts, cut, edit, arrange and you will have a sensationalist film whose only purpose is to "stir up trouble" to get ratings and discredit a man), nor who I am.
I am hurt and betrayed: it feels like a violation of my soul.
A theft of my emotions for a moment.
For all those who have kept a diary at some point in their lives, they will know how harsh written thoughts can sometimes be towards others (and oneself), that they are not meant to be delivered as they are and, above all, that they allow, at that moment, to keep alive a woman or a man, overwhelmed on all sides, crumbling under the weight of unreasonable and extraordinarily violent pressure.
I opened up about my private life, that of a coach who lives with a group of players through moments that are not always easy – sometimes happy, sometimes fraught with tension.
These notes should never have been published in their current form.
The filmmakers of this documentary preferred scandal and dishonesty to investigation and rigor.
These are not my values: I can be rebellious sometimes, provocative often, but I am neither disrespectful, nor mean, nor arrogant.
I want to take this opportunity to disassociate myself, with all my might, from this documentary, whose vulgarity and sensationalism are matched only by its lack of ethics.
It does no honor to either football or journalism.
Finally, I would like to thank the people who love me and whom I love, who are helping me once again to face this unjust and violent storm, and all the people in the street, on a daily basis, who show me their friendship, support and appreciation.
Their friendship is precious, and their sincerity and kindness deeply touch me.
Raymond Domenech
