France launches probe over alleged cyberbullying of Olympic gender-row boxer Imane Khelif
France has started an investigation into cyberbullying after Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif filed a complaint. Khelif, who was involved in a gender controversy during the Paris Olympic Games, is at the center of this case. The issue has gained attention outside of sports, with well-known figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk commenting on it.
The investigation, which began on Tuesday, is looking into “cyberharassment” following the gender dispute at the Games. Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, said last week that Khelif, 25, filed the complaint to seek justice. He stated that the investigation should not only focus on those who harassed her online but also on those who fueled the negative attention.
The Central Office for Combating Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes is handling the investigation. According to the US magazine Variety, billionaire Elon Musk and Harry Potter author JK Rowling are mentioned in the complaint. Former US President Donald Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, is also part of the investigation.
Khelif won the women’s 66kg boxing final against China’s Yang Liu by unanimous decision. She had faced intense scrutiny during the Olympics. Last year, Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the world championships after failing gender eligibility tests, but they were allowed to compete in Paris.
The controversy escalated after Khelif won her match against Italy’s Angela Carini in just 46 seconds. Trump criticized the outcome, saying he would “keep men out of women’s sports,” and his running mate JD Vance called the fight “a grown man pummelling a woman.” JK Rowling also criticized the Olympics, saying that the Paris Games would always be remembered for the “brutal injustice” done to Carini.
The president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), Umar Kremlev, who is linked to the Kremlin, claimed that Khelif and Lin had undergone genetic testing that showed they were men. The IBA had disqualified them from the 2023 world championships, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared them to box in Paris.
Khelif defended herself, stating, “I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived as a woman, and competed as a woman.” She added that the IBA hated her, but she didn’t know why.
On Monday, Khelif received a hero’s welcome at the Algiers airport, with crowds cheering and chanting “Tahia Imane” (Long live Imane). An editorial in the Algerian government newspaper praised her, saying her victory was a win for the oppressed and a triumph of the law over powerful forces with double standards.
When asked if the IOC would reconsider the gender issue, its president, Thomas Bach, said they would be open to it if presented with a scientifically sound method for identifying men and women. He also criticized those who made assumptions about gender based on appearances or politically motivated defamation.
