Olympic Gold Boxer Imane Khelif Files Cyber Harassment Complaint After Controversy

Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who clinched the Olympic gold medal in the women’s boxing 66-kilogram division, has lodged a complaint in Paris regarding online harassment.

During the Olympics, the 25-year-old athlete faced severe bullying on social media. This was particularly intense after Italian boxer Angela Carini, one of her opponents, abandoned their quarter-final match merely 46 seconds in, stating she had “never felt a punch like this.” However, Khelif’s journey hit a snag when she was disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA). The reason was elevated testosterone levels, despite Khelif being born female and identifying neither as transgender nor intersex.

Further complicating matters, several prominent influencers, including Logan Paul, falsely suggested Khelif was a man, though Paul later retracted his statement. Controversial figures such as J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the Olympics for allowing her to compete in the women’s division.

Following her victory over China’s Yang Liu, Khelif filed the complaint with the national center for combating online hate, part of the Paris correctional court. Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, confirmed this to Variety. Although the Paris Prosecutor’s Office has yet to receive the complaint, it is expected to initiate an investigation.

Boudi told the French newspaper Le Monde that Khelif had been targeted by online bullying and “speculation fueled by malicious individuals.” He emphasized that “these messages were posted by important political figures” and amassed “over 100 million views” in some cases.

Khelif opened up about her experience in an interview with SNTV, a media outlet connected with the Associated Press. She mentioned that her family was deeply concerned. “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” she said.

She elaborated that bullying “can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit, and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.” She also expressed gratitude towards the Olympic Committee for ensuring justice on her behalf.

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, has questioned the legitimacy of the claims and the genetic test that disqualified Khelif last year. He suggested that the controversy surrounding her gender was orchestrated by the IBA. The organization is led by Russian oligarchs and has been banned from the Olympics since June 2023 due to its connections with the Kremlin.

Khelif is not alone in her battle against online bullying. Several other individuals involved in the Olympics have also lodged complaints. These include Thomas Jolly, the opening and closing ceremony artistic director, executive director Thierry Reboul, DJ Barbara Butch, and renowned drag queen Nicky Doll.

Source: Variety, Le Monde, SNTV