Paris, France

Algerian boxer and Paris Olympics gold medalist Imane Khelif responded to the backlash she suffered on social media during the Paris Olympics 2024 on Tuesday (Aug 13). Khelif, who won the gold medal in the women’s 66kg boxing competition on Saturday was subject to social abuse and has filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against X owner and renowned businessman Elon Musk and British author J. K. Rowling. Both Rowling and Musk have been named in the criminal complaint filed to French authorities over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” against the Algerian boxer.

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Imane Khelif files cyberbullying lawsuit

The controversy came into the limelight during Khelif’s opening round when her opponent Angela Carini of Italy decided to pull out after just 46 seconds in the 66kg women’s category boxing at the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. After the match, opinions were divided on the boxer's involvement in the competition, who had previously been banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the women’s World Championships. However, Khelif was allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics where she would script history by becoming the first Algerian woman to win a gold medal.

Nabil Boudi, the Paris-based attorney of Khelif, confirmed to Variety (a French publication) that both Musk and Rowling were mentioned in the body of the complaint, posted to the anti-online hatred center of the Paris public prosecutor’s office on Friday.

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“J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” he said, adding that Donald Trump would be part of the investigation.

“Trump tweeted, so whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be looked into as part of the prosecution," he further said.

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The controversy came into limelight when Riley Gaines commented on her X handle claiming “men don’t belong in women’s sports.”

The post was supported by X owner Musk who replied: “Absolutely.”

While Trump posted a message with a picture from the fight with Carina accompanied by the message: “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”

Rowling also shared a post, slamming Khelif’s participation at the Paris Olympics 2024. 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.”