Olympic boxer Imane Khelif has filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against author JK Rowling and X owner Elon Musk. The criminal complaint filed with French authorities accuses the high-profile individuals of “severe cyberbullying” the Algerian athlete who won gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is also named in the lawsuit.
According to Variety Magazine, the Paris prosecutor’s office (National Center for the Fight Against Online Hatred) confirmed that it had received the complaint filed by Khelif. An investigation has now been launched. “On August 13, the National Center for the Fight Against Online Hatred contacted the OCLCH (Central Office for the Fight Against Crimes Against Humanity and Hate Crimes) to open an investigation into cyberbullying based on gender, public humiliation based on gender, public incitement to discrimination, and public humiliation based on origin,” the prosecutor’s office said.
The lawsuit was filed against social media platforms, including X, rather than specific individuals, which is common under French law. This allows investigators to determine which individuals or organizations may have been at fault.
JK Rowling shared several posts on X, one of which described a boxing match as “a man beating up a woman.” Elon Musk commented, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” and Donald Trump posted a photo of the fight, saying, “We’re going to take men out of women’s sports.” The controversy erupted on August 11, when Italian boxer Angela Carini pulled out of her fight with Kelly, citing safety concerns, after taking the hardest punch of her life just 46 seconds into the bout.
Why Imane Khelif was banned from competing in 2023
Kelif faced gender criticism after being banned from the 2023 World Boxing Championships. The ban was due to her failing a gender eligibility test conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA). According to IBA President Umar Kremlev, a DNA test showed that Kelif had XY chromosomes and high levels of testosterone, which led to her disqualification.
But after the 2024 Paris Olympics were stripped of the International Boxing Federation’s recognition as the sport’s governing body over corruption and financial transparency concerns, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) challenged last year’s test and allowed Kelif to compete. The IOC said Kelif was listed as female on her passport and met the eligibility requirements.
Opposing team withdraws 46 seconds into Paris 2024
On August 1, Italian boxer Angela Carini left her Olympic bout with Imane Kelip just 46 seconds in, claiming she had “never felt a punch like this.” The incident drew a barrage of criticism from Kelip on social media, and the controversy attracted the attention of celebrities.
JK Rowling shared a photo of Kelly and Carini’s fight in a post to her over 14 million followers on X, writing: “What photo could better sum up our new men’s rights movement? The snickering of a man who knows he’s being protected by a misogynistic sports establishment, reveling in the agony of a woman who’s just been punched in the head, and whose life’s ambitions have just been shattered. #Paris2024.”
What is Imane Kelip’s gender?
Little is known about Emane Khelif’s actual medical history. However, the International Boxing Association (IBA) has stated that her test results showed that she has XY chromosomes, which disqualifies her from competing in 2023. However, having these chromosomes does not mean that Khelif is transgender.
Despite the controversy, Kelif was born female and has never identified as transgender or bisexual. At an Olympic press conference, the IOC said, “Scientifically, this is not a case of men fighting women.” There has been speculation that Kelif may have differences in sex development (DSD). DSD is one of about 40 rare genetic, hormonal and reproductive disorders that cause a person’s sexual development to deviate from what is normally expected for their assigned sex.
