Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif demands a criminal investigation into cyber harassment and hate speech, including accusations from JK Rowling, Elon Musk, and potentially Donald Trump.
Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has officially requested a criminal investigation into what she describes as a campaign of hate speech and cyber harassment following false allegations that she is transgender. The Algerian athlete, who won a gold medal in the women's 66 kg category, has been the target of significant online abuse, with high-profile figures such as JK Rowling, Elon Musk, and potentially Donald Trump implicated in the controversy.
On Tuesday evening, Khelif's lawyer, Nabil Boudi, announced that a criminal complaint had been filed in a French court, accusing Rowling, Musk, and others of “aggravated cyber harassment” and orchestrating a “misogynistic, racist, and sexist” campaign against the boxer. Boudi also hinted that former U.S. President Donald Trump might be included in the investigation, stating, “Trump’s online comments will inevitably be scrutinized as part of the legal proceedings, whether or not he is directly named in our lawsuit.”
The controversy erupted after Khelif participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she was allowed to compete despite having previously failed a gender eligibility test. The issue came to a head following her victory in the round of 16 against Italian boxer Angela Carini, who withdrew from the match after just 46 seconds. This incident sparked widespread speculation online, with claims circulating that Khelif was transgender.
JK Rowling, known for her outspoken views on gender identity, referred to Khelif as a “male” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accusing her of “rejoicing in the suffering of a woman she just punched in the head, whose life’s ambition she has just shattered.” Elon Musk also weighed in, sharing a post from American swimmer Riley Gaines that declared, “Men do not belong in women’s sports.” Trump, through his platform Truth Social, echoed these sentiments, stating, “I will keep men out of women’s sports.”
Khelif’s lawyer has condemned these remarks as part of a “cyber lynching” campaign, which has led to the filing of the criminal complaint.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously announced that Khelif failed a gender test, disqualifying her from the finals of the World Championships last year due to the presence of XY chromosomes in her DNA. Individuals born with XY chromosomes are typically biologically male, although certain disorders of sexual development can affect an individual’s hormones and reproductive organs.
As the investigation unfolds, it raises important questions about the intersection of gender, sports, and online harassment, with the potential to set significant legal precedents in the realm of hate speech and cyberbullying.
Source: The Telegraph
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