Olympic champion Imane Khelif names J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk in cyberbullying lawsuit

Algerian boxer and new Olympic champion Imane Khelif has filed a lawsuit in France, naming J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk among others for cyberbullying, Variety reported on Tuesday. The lawsuit, which was confirmed by Khelif's attorney Nabil Boudi, comes after Khelif faced harsh online attacks about her gender during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

High profile figures named

Imane celebrates as she wins gold after defeating Liu Yang (blue) of China in the Boxing Women's 66kg final matchAFP

The lawsuit mentions that both Rowling and Musk shared posts questioning Khelif's gender, adding to the online harassment. Despite being born female and not identifying as transgender or intersex, Khelif was accused online of being a man competing in women’s boxing, sparking widespread hate on social media.

The complaint, filed in Paris, aims to hold those responsible for the hurtful messages accountable.

'Who wants men to participate in women’s sports? I would like to congratulate the young woman who has evolved from a man to a woman. He... She won gold,' Trump said.AFP

The lawsuit could potentially lead to international investigations and target overseas personalities, including Donald Trump and Logan Paul. Although Paul has apologized for his comments, the complaint remains active, and the investigation could lead to serious legal consequences.

On the left: Logan Paul and his apology. On the right: the deleted tweet

Emotional toll on Khelif

Khelif's coach, Pedro Diaz, revealed that the online harassment took a significant toll on the boxer and her team during the Olympics. The online bullying had a big emotional impact.

Despite the distractions, Khelif stayed focused and won the gold medal, making it a particularly rewarding victory for both her and her coach.