Paris Olympics gender row: Imane Khelif names Elon Musk, JK Rowling in lawsuit

The Paris Olympics 2024 may have come to an end, but the controversy surrounding the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif continues as she has filed a lawsuit over the gender row during the Olympics, and has named famous people like Tesla owner Elon Musk and Harry Potter author JK Rowling in it.

Khelif filed a complaint on Friday (August 9) with a special unit in the Paris prosecutor’s office against the online hate she received during the Olympics, which her lawyer Nabil Boudi described as “misogynist, racist, and sexist”.

Italian female boxer Angela Carini abandoned her fight against Imane Khelif in just 46 seconds on August 1 during the Paris Olympics, after two strong punches to her nose caused it to bleed profusely. She refused to shake hands with Khelif and was in tears. This video went viral on social media and triggered a huge gender controversy.

Tweets after Carini withdrew

Among those who expressed strong opinions on X were the British author JK Rowling, former US President Donald Trump, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, X owner Elon Musk (agreeing to a post by American swimmer Riley Gaines), and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, and several others.

Rowling in her post on X wrote, “The idea that those objecting to a male punching a female in the name of sport are objecting because they believe Khelif to be ‘trans’ is a joke. We object because we saw a male punching a female.”

In another post, Rowling said, “Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered.”

Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social outlet, “I will keep men out of women’s sports.”

American swimmer Riley Gaines posted on X, ”Men don’t belong in women’s sports.”

To which, Elon Musk responded, “Absolutely”.

Doubts about her gender

Imane Khelif went on to win the gold medal in the women’s welterweight category at the Paris Olympics. But the doubts about her gender refused to die down.

She was earlier disqualified by the International Boxing Association from the Women’s World Championships after allegedly failing a gender eligibility test.

Her lawyer Boudi said, “JK Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others. Trump tweeted, so whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be looked into as part of the prosecution.”

More people could be added to lawsuit: Khelif’s lawyer

He said that more people could be added to the lawsuit if the case goes to court, and that they are asking the prosecution to investigate not only these people but whoever it feels necessary.

“If the case goes to court, they will stand trial,” said Boudi.

After winning the gold medal, Imane Khelif said, “Now the whole world knows the story of Imane Khelif. It’s a dream for every athlete. If I qualify or not? I’m fully qualified, I’m a woman, I was born a woman, I lived a woman, there’s no doubt about that.”