PARIS – French prosecutors have launched an investigation into online harassment of Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif following a barrage of criticism and false claims about her sex during the Summer Games, the Paris prosecutor’s office revealed on Monday. Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, filed a legal complaint with a specialized unit in the Paris prosecutor’s office that tackles online hate speech last Friday.
Boudi stated that Khelif was subjected to a “misogynistic, racist, and sexist campaign” after clinching gold in the women’s welterweight division, rising as a hero in her home country of Algeria and shedding light on women’s boxing worldwide.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed receiving the complaint and disclosed that the Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crime has initiated an investigation into charges of cyber harassment based on gender, public insults based on gender, public incitement to discrimination, and public insults based on origin.
Khelif found herself inadvertently caught in a global debate on gender identity and sports regulation after her initial bout in Paris, where her Italian opponent Angela Carini withdrew mere seconds into the match, citing pain from early punches.
False claims that Khelif was transgender or male surfaced online, prompting the International Olympic Committee to defend her and condemn the dissemination of false information. Khelif condemned the spread of misconceptions about her, stating that it undermines human dignity.
Prominent figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J. K. Rowling were among those spreading misinformation about the athlete.
Khelif’s legal complaint targeted social media platforms, including “X”, without a specific perpetrator, a common procedure under French law that authorizes investigators to determine the responsible parties.
The Paris prosecutor’s office refrained from naming specific suspects. Two days later, Khelif returned to Algeria, where she is anticipated to meet with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and be welcomed by her family in her hometown of Ain Mesbah.
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