Algerian boxer and Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif has spoken out for the first time since she filed a lawsuit over alleged cyberbullying.
Khelif was subject to controversy and allegations made about her gender and identity during the Paris Olympics, after it resurfaced that she and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting had been barred from competing in an International Boxing Association competition back in 2023 after alleged tests said both boxers had 'elevated levels of testosterone'.
An International Olympic Committee spokesman later spoke out over the controversial tests, stating that the results were 'so flawed that it was impossible to engage with'.
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Both Khelif or Lin were assigned female at birth and neither boxer has ever identified as male, transgender or intersex.
Khelif's father even went as far as showing her birth certificate on French TV to prove she was born female.
Following Khelif's triumph at the Paris Games, she has filed a complaint to the anti-online hatred centre of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, citing alleged 'acts of cyber-harassment'.
The boxer's attorney, Nabil Boudi, confirmed to Variety that JK Rowling and Elon Musk were both named in the body of the complaint.
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Khelif has now spoken out about the comments she's faced, revealing to Algerian-based news channel El Bilad that the backlash from various public figures has 'hurt a lot'.
"But immediately after there was a big uproar from big politicians around the world, athletes around the world, and even artists and stars, Elon Musk, Trump... this thing... that affected me," the 25-year-old said.
"I am not lying to you, it affected me. It affected me a lot, hurt me a lot. I can't describe to you the amount of fear I had.
"The scenario was very scary. Thank god, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will."
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She continued: "Honestly, I don't like to get into politics in sports, but they got into politics in sports. Sports and politics are two separate things. These politicians who are oppressing me, they don't have the right to say that I'm a transgender."
Speaking to Variety about the case, Boudi said the lawsuit had been filed against 'unknown persons', which is written as 'X', in order to ensure that the 'prosecution has all the latitude to be able to investigate against all people' including public figures and those who posted under pseudonyms.
As well as Rowling and Musk, former US president Donald Trump has also been named in the lawsuit.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office also confirmed to Variety that it received the complaint filed by Khelif, with a subsequent investigation launched.
LADbible Group has contacted representatives for Elon Musk and JK Rowling for comment.
Topics: Imane Khelif, Olympics, Sport, Elon Musk, JK Rowling
Brenna Cooper