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J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk have been named in a criminal complaint filed with French authorities, alleging "aggravated cyber harassment" against Algerian boxer and newly crowned Olympic champion Imane Khelif. As Variety reports, the complaint was lodged with the Paris public prosecutor’s office on Friday.
Nabil Boudi, Khelif's attorney, confirmed the inclusion of both high-profile figures in the complaint, which was submitted to the office’s anti-online hatred center. Under French law, the lawsuit was filed against unknown persons, allowing the prosecution to investigate all individuals involved, including those using pseudonyms.
Boudi stated that Donald Trump may also come under investigation, despite not being explicitly named in the complaint, as his social media posts on the matter are likely to be scrutinized.
Khelif, who won gold in the women’s 66-kilogram boxing competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was at the center of a global controversy over her gender eligibility. Despite the International Olympic Committee's backing, stating that "scientifically, this is not a man fighting a woman," Khelif faced widespread online abuse, primarily on X (formerly Twitter).
The situation escalated when public figures such as Rowling and Musk weighed in. Rowling posted a picture from Khelif’s match against Italian boxer Angela Carini, accusing Khelif of being a man "enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head." Musk endorsed a post by swimmer Riley Gaines that declared, “men don’t belong in women’s sports,” to which Musk responded, “Absolutely.” Trump also posted about the fight, stating, “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”
While the lawsuit mentions specific individuals, Boudi emphasized that the aim is to investigate all relevant parties. He noted that the investigation could extend internationally, as France’s prosecutor’s office has the ability to seek mutual legal assistance with other countries, including the United States.
Logan Paul, who also criticized Khelif on social media, later deleted his post and apologized, admitting he may have spread misinformation. However, Boudi said such apologies would not alter the course of the investigation, stressing that the lawsuit had been filed and the facts remained.
The complaint targets the authors of the social media posts rather than the platforms themselves, with Boudi pointing out that it is up to lawmakers to impose sanctions on social media companies.
Khelif’s coach, Pedro Diaz, remarked that the online harassment significantly impacted Khelif during the Olympics. Diaz, who began training Khelif in early 2023, described the harassment as unprecedented in his experience. He advised Khelif to avoid social media during the games to maintain her focus on winning the gold medal, which he described as the most rewarding victory of his coaching career.
[Information sourced from Variety]
