Paris, August 14, 2024, The Europe Today: The Paris public prosecutor’s office announced on Wednesday that it is launching an investigation into online harassment targeting Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif during the Summer Games in Paris. The 25-year-old Algerian athlete, who competed in the women’s welterweight division and won a gold medal, filed a legal complaint regarding the cyber abuse directed at her.
The prosecutor’s office has tasked its Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crime with investigating the case, which involves charges of “cyber harassment based on gender, public insults based on gender, public incitement to discrimination, and public insults on the basis of origin.”
Khelif became the focus of international attention after false claims and misogynistic attacks questioning her gender circulated online. Despite being cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete, Khelif had previously faced disqualification from a global event due to reported gender eligibility issues.
Her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, emphasized that the complaint represents a “fight for justice” against the misogynistic, racist, and sexist online campaign. The investigation will seek to identify those responsible for the harassment, including individuals who contributed to the spread of false information.
Notably, U.S. news magazine Variety reported that public figures J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk were named in Khelif’s criminal complaint for their alleged involvement in the “aggravated cyber harassment” campaign.
The IOC has publicly defended Khelif, condemning the misinformation and the unjust treatment she endured. Khelif has stated that the spread of such misconceptions “harms human dignity.” The ongoing investigation will seek to bring justice to the champion athlete and hold accountable those responsible for the harassment.
