French legal proceedings are taking place with Olympic gold medallist, Imane Khelif, filing a cyber-harassment lawsuit. Among those implicated are influential figures such as JK Rowling and Elon Musk, with potential requisite exploration into Donald Trump’s interactions too. Imane Khelif, renowned for becoming the inaugural Algerian female boxing champion and the country’s first boxing gold victor since 1996, was embroiled in a global controversy over her gender during her Olympic journey.
The complaint, presented to the Paris public prosecutor’s office last Friday by her legal representative, Nabil Boudi, was targeted at ‘X’, which implies it was lodged against unknown entities, following French legal systems, according to Variety. This permits the prosecution adequate discretion to probe into individuals under pseudonyms who may have propagated malicious messages online. Boudi also noted that the lawsuit names well-known individuals.
The 25-year-old pugilist alleges that she has been the recipient of online abuse that was filled with sexism, racism and misogyny. Imane Khelif was subject to gender-related allegations after she was disqualified from participating in the 2023 boxing world championships due to a failed gender eligibility test facilitated by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took exception to this test and prior to the Paris events, de-recognised IBA as the governing body for boxing and subsequently expelled it from the Olympics for various discrepancies, including corruption and lack of financial transparency. The IOC asserted that Khelif, who has always identified as a woman, wasn’t involved in mixed-gender fighting. This matter garnered widespread visibility when Italian boxer Angela Carini forfeited her match against Khelif in the 66kg boxing contest after a mere 46 seconds, citing an unprecedented punch. Subsequently, the Algerian boxer was overwhelmed with derogatory comments, predominantly on social media platforms, particularly ‘X’. The criticism escalated as soon as prominent figures started commenting on the issue.
Rowling shared an image from Khelif’s clash with Carini on social media platform X, with her comment to her 14.2 million followers criticising the satisfaction of a man protected by a chauvinist sports institution who takes pleasure in harming a woman and destroying her lifelong dream. In a subsequent tweet, the Harry Potter creator clarified that she was not implying Khelif was transgender. Her concern, shared by many, was the acceptance of male violence towards women in competitive sports like the Olympics.
Musk, the proprietor of X, endorsed a statement by US swimmer Riley Gaines stating that men should not compete in women’s competitive sports, while Trump shared an image from the confrontation, vowing to eliminate men from women’s athletics. Boudi explained to Variety that while the filed complaint specifies individuals, the request is for the judiciary to investigate all relevant parties. The attorney noted that if the case reaches the courts, the named individuals will have to defend themselves.
Diaz, Khelif’s trainer who has previously prepared 21 Olympic victors, spoke of the hurtful treatment Khelif withstood during the games, which had a significant impact on her and those around her. He expressed his revulsion at the circumstances when she first competed in the Olympics.
After defeating China’s Yang Liu on Saturday, Khelif declared her eligibility for the competition. She affirmed her identity as a woman and dismissed critics as adversaries of success who added a unique flavour to her victorious journey.