Imane Khelif names Rowling and Musk in cyberbullying lawsuit

Olympic Gold Medalist Imane Khelif Files Cyberbullying Lawsuit Naming J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has filed a lawsuit over alleged cyberbullying she faced during the Games. The lawsuit is reported to name author J.K. Rowling and Tesla/SpaceX CEO Elon Musk following comments they made on social media.

Khelif had previously been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the International Boxing Association after failing "gender eligibility tests" in 2023. However, the International Olympic Committee defended her right to compete at the Olympics and deemed her eligible.

Khelif's lawyer, Nabil Boudi, told Variety on Tuesday that Musk and Rowling would be named in the cyberbullying lawsuit stemming from posts they made on social media regarding Khelif's participation in women's boxing events. The details of the comments and allegations have not been revealed. If named in the suit, this would be the first legal action against Musk and Rowling over their opinions on transgender participation in sports.

Imane Khelif's participation in the women's boxing events drew significant online discussion, particularly after her initial Olympic bout against Italian boxer Angela Carini ended abruptly after just 46 seconds. The Paris public prosecutor's office has since confirmed to AFP news agency that they have launched a cyberbullying investigation following an official complaint by Khelif.

The investigation relates to social media posts and comments made during the Olympics. However, a prominent French legal blogger noted it is unlikely Elon Musk or J.K. Rowling would actually face prosecution, as French penal law does not generally apply to acts committed outside of France targeting non-citizens. Prosecutors could potentially pursue charges against individuals who posted abusive messages while located in France. Khelif's participation in the women's boxing at Paris 2024 was cleared by the IOC after she was disqualified from the previous year's World Championships by the International Boxing Association for failing to meet their eligibility criteria. Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting was also allowed to compete in Paris, despite a similar situation at Worlds. The wider debate around transgender athlete participation in elite women's sports continues globally.

Imane Khelif strongly asserted her qualification and identity as a woman to compete. The 25-year-old boxer considered herself a woman in every sense, having been born female and lived her life as such. She emphasized her experience competing as a woman throughout her career. The day after their brief Olympic bout, Angela Carini publicly apologized to Khelif for how she handled the situation immediately after the fight, including not shaking her opponent's hand.

The IOC permitted Khelif and Lin to compete at the Olympics, questioning the reliability and validity of the tests administered by the IBA. A disorganized IBA press conference following the bans did little to clarify the situation or address the confusion around the nature of testing that led to Khelif and Lin's disqualifications. IBA Chief Executive Chris Roberts referenced "chromosome tests" while President Umar Kremlev suggested the tests evaluated testosterone levels, leaving uncertainty over what the eligibility criteria actually consisted of. The BBC was unable to ascertain precise details about the screening process. The IBA, led by Russians, had previously lost its recognition as boxing's international governing body in 2019 by the IOC due to concerns about its governance practices and ability to properly regulate the sport.