French Prosecutors Investigating 'Cyberbullying' Complaint Against Reportedly Male Boxer

Brittany M. Hughes | August 15, 2024
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French prosecutors are taking up Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s legal case against “cyberbullying” after the international uproar over Khelif - who is reportedly a male - being allowed to box against women in the Paris Olympics. Following the games, Khelif has filed a lawsuit alleging “bullying,” prompting France’s Office for the Fight against Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crime - yes, that’s a thing - to open up a formal look-see into the complaint.

According to this, authorities in France have opened up an investigation into whether Khelif was the target of online harassment after internet users in X (formerly known as Twitter) called out Khelif over being disqualified from the World Championships last year after tests reportedly revealed the boxer has male XY chromosomes. But despite the International Boxing Association banning Khelif from participating in the women’s competition in 2023 after saying the reportedly female competitor was actually a man, the International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif for the women’s match in Paris anyway, citing the boxer’s passport, which listed Khelif as “female.”

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting was also disqualified from the 2023 championships over allegedly having XY chromosomes, but was also allowed to participate in the women’s match in Paris.

The confusion over the gender tests, Khelif’s reported family history, and the IOC’s standards led some sports experts to speculate the boxer may have been born with a Disorder of Sex Development that can cause a genetic male to be born appearing outwardly female, but with XY chromosomes and male levels of testosterone that would have been evident after puberty.

Related: Second Female Boxer Protests After Losing To a Reported Male In Paris

Reports of Khelif’s biology, and the lack of effort by both the boxer and the IOC to prove otherwise, prompted thousands of people online to blast the Olympics for allowing a male to unfairly compete against women, particularly in a high-risk combat sport.

“Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s 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,” tweeted author J.K. Rowling, who has been an outspoken proponent of women’s rights and keeping women’s sports free of men.c

“After beating up all the women, these 2 men have both made it to the women's boxing finals and will be competing for gold in their respective categories. Who could've seen this coming?!” posted LibsofTikTok, one of the fist and most prominent accounts to share the story.

“Imane Khelif (XY) dominated World Champion Lang Liu (XX) to win an Olympic gold medal. Let me repeat that: a MALE has taken a WOMAN'S Olympic gold,” NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines posted.

Elon Musk, who is also personally named in Khelif’s suit, retweeted another post by Gaines that declared, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” adding the comment, “Absolutely.” Musk’s post garnered nearly 2 million “likes.”

In the meantime, Khelif cruised to a gold medal victory in the women’s welterweight division, winning literally every single round of every single match. Yu-ting, the other reported biological male in the ring, handily won the gold in the featherweight category.

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