What was meant to be a lively summer festival in Dax has instead ignited a heated debate about consent, social media, and accountability. The incident involves former French rugby star Richard Dourthe and influencer Charline Pradeau, whose viral video showing an unwanted gesture has set off a legal and public storm.
During the Feria de Dax, a festival celebrated with bullfighting, folk music, and sporting events, Pradeau was filmed dancing on a bar table in a white miniskirt.
Footage shared widely on social media shows Dourthe sitting behind her before turning and lifting the back of her skirt.
Pradeau, holding a drink, swats his hand away and lightly taps him on the back of the head, visibly stunned, before moving away and continuing to dance.
Legal Battles Begin
The situation escalated quickly. On August 20, Pradeau filed a formal complaint against Dourthe for sexual insult.
Speaking publicly, she described the emotional toll:
“It’s very hard emotionally, because after years of not daring and being ashamed of the abuse I experienced, what is happening is extremely serious.
It is time to denounce, shame must change sides.”
Dourthe, however, has launched a counter-complaint for “slanderous denunciation,” claiming he is being unfairly targeted by a media campaign.
The former rugby player, who was a 1999 World Cup finalist with Les Bleus, told French press that the allegations are distorted and that he had already apologized to Pradeau privately.
Social Media Fallout
Pradeau initially posted a video explaining the incident and confirming she had received an apology from Dourthe.
She noted, however, that she had chosen not to respond to him at the time.
The video was later deleted after Instagram blocked her account for sexual content.
She expressed ongoing distress, stating she was experiencing harassment online, social anxiety, and threats, calling on her followers to stop the abusive behavior.
“I am unfortunately obliged to speak out one last time on this subject.
The harassment, the threats, the lynching, the insults must stop,” she said. She warned that criminal proceedings would be initiated against those who continue to harass her online.
Dourthe’s Defense
Dourthe’s lawyer, Arnaud Dupin, acknowledged that the gesture was inappropriate but emphasized that it did not constitute a sexist attack.
“Mr. Richard Dourthe recognizes that he had no business touching the skirt of a girl dancing on a counter at the Fêtes de Dax, and he immediately apologized to the young girl concerned,” Dupin said.
The lawyer also stressed that spreading “unfounded, repeated, and widely disseminated accusations” could be legally actionable as malicious denunciation.
He confirmed that Dourthe remains fully available to the courts and police to provide explanations.
Investigation Underway
The Dax prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the matter.
As the legal process unfolds, the case has ignited broader conversations about boundaries, consent, and the power of social media to amplify both wrongdoing and reputational damage.
The incident remains a potent reminder of the delicate balance between public life, personal accountability, and digital exposure.
