"My children received death threats," Vanessa Le Moigne recounts the "mega-exacerbated" cyberbullying after the 2025 AFCON final

Vanessa Le Moigne, a journalist for beIN Sports, was the target of violent attacks for an interview she conducted during the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Speaking to Her Story, she indicated that the cyberbullying even included death threats against her children.

"You're completely crazy." Following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, beIN Sports journalist Vanessa Le Moigne announced her intention to stop covering football after the season. Speaking to Her Story, she addressed the threats she received after her interview with Edouard Mendy. Le Moigne had been the target of fierce criticism for discussing with the Senegalese goalkeeper the violent clashes in the stands and the possibility of a fix regarding Brahim Diaz's penalty – a failed Panenka attempt. Exasperated by the referee's decisions, the Lions of Teranga had left the pitch before returning for the penalty awarded in second-half stoppage time.

"I conceded a huge own goal in that final, meaning you come with passion, you do your job to please people. And these people come on social media to tear you down. They threaten you with death, rape, and threaten your children," shared Vanessa La Moigne. "Are you crazy? You're completely crazy."

Vanessa Le Moigne had been the target of fierce criticism for discussing with the Senegalese goalkeeper the violent clashes in the stands and the possibility of a match-fixing deal regarding Brahim Diaz's penalty – a failed Panenka attempt. Exasperated by the referee's decisions, the Lions of Teranga had left the pitch before returning for the penalty awarded in second-half stoppage time.

"I conceded a huge own goal in that final, meaning you come with passion, you do your job to please people. And these people come on social media to tear you down. They threaten you with death, rape, and threaten your children," shared Vanessa La Moigne. "Are you crazy? You're completely crazy."

"We've reached a turning point"

"I experience cyberbullying at every competition," the journalist continued. "I've gotten used to it in a very strange way. And honestly, it doesn't bother me. However, during this final, it was incredibly intense. This third AFCON I was covering for beIN Sports was important to me. It's like a toxic relationship, really."

"We crossed a line because my children were threatened with death," concluded Vanessa Le Moigne, who experienced this episode as a "trauma." "And that's really unacceptable. I said, 'No, that's enough.' Of course, people will tell me, 'Yes, but you're giving them the satisfaction and so on.' Yes, except that many of my colleagues left in silence, if you only knew. And they're constantly trying to silence us."

On Tuesday evening, two months after Senegal's extra-time victory in the final, the Lions of Teranga were stripped of their title by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeals committee. They were penalized for leaving the pitch during the match. Morocco was awarded the title by default. The Senegalese Football Federation has already announced its intention to appeal, both legally and diplomatically.