Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic gold medalist in women’s welterweight boxing, has lodged a legal complaint against the backdrop of what has been described as online “harassment” following victory in the Paris Olympics. Khelif’s dispute stems from a cloud of intense scrutiny concerning gender after winning over China’s Liu Yang in the 66kg category.
The criticism began when an eligibility test conducted by the IBA, a controversial and now discredited boxing authority, cast doubts about Khelif’s sex. This led to viral social media posts suggesting that Khelif, and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, another Olympian, might not be female due to reportedly having XY chromosomes.
Khelif’s attorney, Nabil Boudi, announced that a formal complaint of aggravated cyber harassment had been filed with the Paris prosecutor’s office. “Mrs Khelif contacted the firm, which filed a complaint yesterday for aggravated cyber harassment with the online hate center of the Paris prosecutor’s office,” said Boudi.
“The criminal investigation will determine who initiated this misogynistic, racist, and sexist campaign, but will also have to focus on those who fueled this digital lynching. The unfair harassment suffered by the boxing champion will remain the biggest stain of these Olympic Games.”
Khelif addressed the issue directly in a press conference, stating: “I am a woman like any woman. I was born a woman and have lived as a woman but there are enemies to success and they can’t digest my success.” Further expressing a desire to alter global perceptions, Khelif criticized the social media rumors as “immoral.”
The International Boxing Association has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the tests that led to allegations against Khelif. Furthermore, the IOC condemned what it termed aggression faced by the athletes, criticizing the decision-making process as arbitrary and lacking proper procedures.
