Olympic gender scandal boxer sues Musk
French prosecutors are investigating a claim by Algerian Olympic champion boxer Imane Khelif over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” by several prominent figures, including Elon Musk, during the recent Paris Games, according to Variety magazine.
Prosecutors reportedly said on Wednesday that the X (formerly Twitter) owner was named in the criminal complaint, along with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.
Khelif has claimed she was targeted by a “misogynist, racist and sexist campaign” as she fought her way to Olympic gold in the women’s welterweight division on Saturday.
The Algerian boxer was cleared to compete in Paris despite being disqualified from last year’s IBA World Championships for failing a gender verification test.
Nabil Boudi, the Paris-based attorney for Khelif, told the magazine that the complaint was posted to the anti-online hatred center of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office on Friday. The prosecutor’s office reportedly confirmed that an investigation had been launched.
“J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” Boudi told the magazine, adding that former US President 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 stated.
The attorney also noted that the lawsuit was filed against X, which under French law means that it was submitted against unknown persons. That “ensure[s] that the ‘prosecution has all the latitude to be able to investigate against all people,” Boudi said.
The 25-year-old Khelif found herself at the center of gender controversy throughout the Paris Games.
She defeated Italian boxer Angela Carini in just 46 seconds in a preliminary bout, sparking outrage online as many claimed the Algerian should not have been competing in the women’s category.
According to Algeria, Khelif is not transgender, but is a woman affected by a condition known as hyperandrogenism, characterized by a high level of testosterone and the presence of XY chromosomes.
Following the bout with Carini, J. K. Rowling posted a picture on X of the boxers, accusing Khelif of being a man who was “enjoying the distress of a woman; he’s just punched in the head.”
Musk, meanwhile, shared a post that claimed “men don’t belong in women’s sports,” captioning it “Absolutely.”
Trump’s post about the boxing match was accompanied by the message: “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”
The International Olympic Committee has defended Khelif and has accused her critics of peddling misinformation.
