Olympic Gold Medalist Files Cyberbullying Lawsuit Naming High-Profile Figures

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, the current Olympic gold medalist in the women’s 66-kilogram category, filed a lawsuit in France on Wednesday, claiming “acts of aggravated cyber harassment.” The complaint was filed on August 9 with the Paris public prosecutor’s office and names several high-profile figures, including author J.K. Rowling and entrepreneur Elon Musk.

In that case, Khelif’s Paris lawyer, Nabil Boudi, told Variety that the lawsuit had been filed against X (formerly Twitter) and “unknown persons,” in France, which allowed prosecutors to file inquiries against all parties involved or using pseudonyms. The complaint focuses on the authors of messages, not the platforms.

Khelif was targeted in this cyberbullying attack after beating Angela Carini, the Italian boxer. Even though Khelif has been a female from birth and still thinks of herself as one, numerous gender and conformity rumors are associated with her.

Several high-profile public figures chimed in on the controversy. J.K. Rowling tweeted an image from Khelif’s match on X in which she claimed the athlete was “a man enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.” Elon Musk endorsed a post claiming “Men don’t belong in women’s sports.” Former U.S. President Donald Trump also misgendered Khelif in a social media post.

She said the case had been filed in France but it was aimed at other personalities because countries were in mutual legal assistance deals.

This case comes after the biggest cyberbullying case in France, in which 28 people were sentenced to jail and fines for bullying a top French influencer, recently wrapped up in March 2024.

There have been eligibility controversies surrounding Khelif. She was barred from taking part in the Women’s World Boxing Championships in 2023 after allegations of her failing gender eligibility tests. However, the International Olympic Committee lambasted the move as “sudden and arbitrary” and upheld Khelif’s eligibility for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024

Pedro Diaz, Khelif’s coach, said, “It is disgusting cyberbullying,” adding that it had a huge impact on the athlete. Khelif remained focused, though, and delivered. Now, she has Olympic gold around her neck.

After her victory, Khelif addressed the controversy and said, “I’m completely qualified for this race. I’m a girl just like another girl. I am born [as] a girl and lived [as] a girl, and I competed in the girl’s race, no doubt about it.”

🇺🇸🇩🇿 | Trump: "I will keep men out of women's sports!#Algeria #ImaneKhelif #AngelaCarini #Trump #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/ulydjTG9m3

— Breaking News (@PlanetReportHQ) August 1, 2024

This case solidifies the evidence-gleaned concern of the flare-up in online harassment in sports, let alone the judicial nightmare in taking on international cyberbullying.

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