Olympic Gold Medalist Imane Khelif Files Legal Complaint Over Online Harassment

Boxer Imane Khelif, who became the first Algerian woman to win Olympic gold in boxing, has filed a formal legal complaint alleging online harassment.

Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, confirmed that the complaint was filed on Friday. Khelif’s legal action comes in the wake of her victory at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she, along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, became central figures in a heated gender controversy.

Khelif, who defeated world champion Yang Liu of China in the 66kg category final, has faced intense backlash on social media, with some questioning her womanhood.

“What is being said about me on social media is immoral. I want to change minds worldwide,” Khelif stated on Saturday.

The controversy originated from the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) decision to disqualify both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from the 2023 World Boxing Championship due to the presence of XY chromosomes. However, the IBA was later stripped of its status as the global governing body of boxing, and the International Olympic Association subsequently deemed both boxers eligible to compete.

Khelif has remained resolute, asserting her qualifications and identity. “I am fully qualified to compete. I was born a woman, lived as a woman, and competed as a woman,” she declared after her victory.