After a month of controversy and negative attention over her gender identity, Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif is taking the matter to court.
Olympic Harassment Campaign
Algerian women’s boxer Imane Khelif endured widespread online bullying and harassment during the Olympic Games in Paris this year. Now, she’s hitting back with more than her boxing gloves – and some very high-profile figures are in her sights.
Legal Complaint Filed
Just days after claiming the women’s boxing gold medal last Friday, Khelif filed a legal complaint in France with a special prosecutor’s unit that focuses on online hate speech and cyber harassment.
“Aggravated Cyber Harassment”
Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, cited “aggravated cyber-harassment” as the cause of the legal complaint, referring to a flood of vitriol she received during the Olympic Games due to speculation around her gender.
A “Misogynistic, Racist, and Sexist Campaign”
“The criminal investigation will determine who initiated this misogynistic, racist, and sexist campaign,” Boudif’s initial statement read. “But will also have to focus on those who fueled this digital lynching.”
Rowling and Musk Named
Two days after the filing, Boudi declared that both Tesla founder Elon Musk and Harry Potter author J.K Rowling have been named in the Olympians lawsuit.
Two of Several
Boudi, a Paris-based attorney, confirmed that the tech mogul and author were just two of a number of public figures included in the lawsuit in a statement to US magazine Variety on Tuesday.
A Victim of Online Hate
Despite being a cisgender woman, Khelif has been bombarded by misogynistic and anti-trans vitriol and a misinformation campaign launched by online commentators who believed that Khelif was born a man.
IOC Statement
The abuse continued, despite Khelif not identifying as transgender or intersex, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issuing a statement of their own confirming that “scientifically, this is not a man fighting a woman.”
Celebrities and Public Figures
These comments were not from largely anonymous online commentators either. Instead, prolific celebrities and public figures in various industries weighed in on the subject, with many jeering at and condemning the Algerian boxer.
Rowling Calls Her a “Male”
Musk and Rowling were two such public figures. Rowling shared photos on social media of Khelif’s fight with Italian boxer Angela Carini, and referred to Khelif as a “male” who was “enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.”
Sharing and Reposting
Musk, on the other hand, shared a post and photos from Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who has become a vocal opponent of transgender participation in women’s sports.
“Men Don’t Belong in Women’s Sports”
The post also shared photos from the fight with Carini, along with a caption from Gaines saying, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” in reference to Khelif. Musk reshared the post with the comment, “Absolutely.”
Trump Implicated
Boudi also made reference to US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who commented on Khelif and the ongoing controversy, though his eventual role in the lawsuit is still unclear.
An Inevitable Part of the Prosecution
“Trump tweeted,” Boudi said. “So whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be looked into as part of the prosecution.”
Connecting to Political Campaign
Trump took an opportunity to connect the gender controversy to his political campaign, sharing pictures of the same fight on social media along with the caption: “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”
International Repercussions
While these public figures shared their negative sentiments from the US and UK, it does not necessarily limit the repercussions of the lawsuit. Boudif confirmed that the Paris prosecutor’s office can request legal assistance from these respective countries.
Standing Strong
Even in the face of widespread and unwarranted online hate, Khelif has remained strong and has publicly addressed the struggles she has faced during her Olympic run.
“A Dream For Every Athlete”
“Now the whole world knows the story of Imane Khelif,” she said in a speech following her gold medal victory. “It’s a dream for every athlete.”
“I’m a Woman, I Was Born a Woman”
“If I qualify or not? If I’m a woman or not? I made many statements in the media,” she continued. I’m fully qualified, I’m a woman, I was born a woman, I lived a woman, there’s no doubt about that.”
A Stain on the Olympic Name
The initial filing in Paris described the incidents surrounding Khelif’s gender as the “biggest stain” on this year’s Olympics event, turning a celebrated global event into another platform to wage a political culture war.
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