Imane Khelif names Elon Musk, JK Rowling in cyberbullying lawsuit after gender row
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif named Elon Musk and JK Rowling in a cyber-bulling lawsuit filed by her over the gender row that hogged the headlines during the Paris Olympics 2024.
The complaint, submitted on Friday, accuses individuals of “aggravated cyber-harassment” aimed at Khelif, an action described by the boxer’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, as a “misogynist, racist, and sexist campaign.”
“JK Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” Boudi told Variety.
Earlier, American swimmer Riley Gaines shared a post with Khelif’s picture which read, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports.” Later, Musk re-shared the post, writing, “Absolutely”
Rowling had also shared a post, slamming Khelif’s participation in the quadrennial event. She wrote, “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.”
Previously, the 25-year-old Khelif was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the women’s World Championships after she reportedly failed a gender eligibility test. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) permitted her to take further part in the Olympics.
Imane Khelif makes a statement
Controversy erupted after Italy’s Angela Carini pulled out of her Round of 16 bout against Khelif after only 46 seconds. Carini ended her campaign in tears, saying that she had “never been hit so hard” in her life.
During this while, Khelif faced backlash, but IOC president Thomas Bach defended her, saying, “women must be allowed to take part in women’s competitions.”
Khelif eventually went on to make history after becoming the first Algerian woman to win a gold medal in boxing at the Olympic Games. In the gold-medal match, she defeated China’s Yang Liu 5-0. Khelif also secured dominating wins over Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng and Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori.
Khelif said that after finishing on top of the podium, she sent a message to the IBA that “Now the whole world knows the story of Imane Khelif.”