Wendie Renard, the Lyon player, announced on Tuesday through her lawyer that she will file a complaint against a video that uses her image without her consent, a deepfake. “Not only does she not want it to harm her image, but she wants to protect those who could be deceived,” said Me Laurent Burgy, who filed a complaint for his client for identity theft.
This deepfake, a video generated using AI and imitating the face of the 35-year-old footballer, is specifically targeted at the residents of Martinique, where she is from. On Monday evening, the Olympique Lyonnais player denounced on her X, Instagram, and Facebook accounts the publication of this “scam” on social networks. “A video is currently circulating using my image without my authorization and has been created using artificial intelligence. I formally deny its content: it does not reflect my statements, values, or position,” she wrote.
Renard “is not an influencer,” emphasized her lawyer. “Thank you for remaining vigilant against this type of manipulation and not spreading false information,” the defender added. Wendie Renard, who is also the former captain of the French national team, “is not an influencer,” her lawyer reiterated. “The only place she wants to commit is on the field.”
Deepfakes impersonating public figures are increasingly common on social media. Scammers use them for financial scams or cryptocurrency scams, spreading fake political endorsements, selling fake products, or even for romance scams.
