OLYMPIC GAMES | BOXING
Imane Khelif plans on taking legal action against those who made sexist and racist comments on social media
Khelif is set to issue a lawsuit against sexist and racist comments she has received on social media.
Imane Khelif won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games amidst a storm of criticism on social media, where false rumors circulated claiming she was a transgender athlete.
In response to these accusations, the Algerian boxer did not remain silent; instead, she took legal action against the cyberbullying she faced. Her lawyer, Me Nabil Boudi, announced this in a press release.
“After winning a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, boxer Imane Khelif has taken on a new fight: one for justice, dignity, and honour. The criminal investigation will determine who initiated this misogynistic, racist, and sexist campaign, but it must also focus on those who perpetuated this digital lynching,” stated the African athlete’s lawyer.
How did the controversy with Imane Khelif begin?
Despite competing quietly in the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games, where she lost to Ireland’s Kellie Harrington in the quarterfinals, everything changed three years later in Paris.
Khelif’s first opponent in Paris was Italy’s Angela Carini. During the match, Khelif’s hyperandrogenic condition became apparent, leading to tensions between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Federation.
Carini retired just 46 seconds into the bout, later stating that she had “never felt such a hard blow in my entire boxing career,” which fuelled a wave of negative comments on social media.