Algeria's Imane Khelif won a gold medal in women's (67kg) boxing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, however, many have questioned if she is actually a girl.
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Big names like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and even Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling all had something to say about Khelif being allowed to compete at the Olympics after she was previously disqualified from last year's world championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA), following a failed a gender test and testing positive for XY chromosomes.
SHOCKING 🚨 Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Harry Potter author JK Rowling named in criminal complaint filed by Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif
Despite having Male XY chromosomes, Imane won Gold Medal in a Women's event at Paris Olympics.
Lawsuit says Imane Khelif was subjected to… pic.twitter.com/lbLWtzzELE
— Times Algebra (@TimesAlgebraIND) August 14, 2024
That is to say, stemming from the "cyberbullying" as Khelif and her lawyer called it, she has since filed a harassment lawsuit to French authorities, while also publicly speaking out on the effects this whole controversy has had on her and her family.
IMANE KHELIF RESPONDS TO DONALD TRUMP AND ELON MUSK:
“I saw that big personalities like Donald Trump had compared me to a man and it hurt me extremely.
I didn't understand this relentlessness and all this hatred. I was afraid but I got up again." pic.twitter.com/WdHRNX5oKp
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) August 14, 2024
"It affected me a lot, it hurt me a lot... I can't describe to you the amount of fear I had... Why was there an uproar from big politicians around the world? I was afraid, but thank God, I was able to overcome this stage."
"Thank God, all the people of Algeria and the Arab world knew Imane Khelif with her femininity, her courage, her will."
The reporter kept bringing up Trump and Musk throughout the interview, as Khelif noted that sports and politics are separate, but she did not like the fact that they were calling her transgender.
Trump: And I'd like to congratulate the young woman who transitioned from a man into a boxer. You saw he won. She won the gold medal. pic.twitter.com/PXY01K7i4B
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 10, 2024
"These politicians who are oppressing me, they don't have the right to say that I'm transgender. This is a big shame for my family, for the honor of my family, for the honor of Algeria."
With this in mind, after Khelif punched Italy's Angela Carini so hard that she had to bow out of the fight after 46 seconds, the consensus from the public was that 25-year-old was a biological male.
‼️ OOPSIES ‼️
I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app
Although she’s been previously disqualified for failing a “gender test” and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman
I stand by my sentiment… https://t.co/oVfWARylCJ pic.twitter.com/S2QvHPHwWg
— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) August 1, 2024
Nevertheless, as more information was revealed throughout Khelif's run to a gold medal, and based on her claims of being biological female, it is now believed that she may have a disorder called Swyer Syndrome. This means even though Khelif has XY chromosomes (found in males), she may have female reproductive organs.
Furthermore, using deductive reasoning, Khelif comes from a Muslim country, so if in fact she had transitioned genders, she seemingly would not be allowed to represent Algeria on the Olympic stage.
No matter her gender, many such as Rowling question her eligibility, citing her participation as a disadvantage and safety concern for other female fighters, since Khelif tested for "elevated levels of testosterone" according to the IBA.
‘Someone with a DSD cannot help the way they were born but they can choose not to cheat; they can choose not to take medals from women; they can choose not to cause injury.’ ✍️ @suzanne_moore https://t.co/p6Qdb4lXcx
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024
The ongoing lawsuit will shed more light into the details regarding Khelif's gender as there is also anticipation on whether or not the harassment complaint for spreading "misinformation and hate," made against some of the wealthiest Americans, will hold any ground in court.
BREAKING: Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling named in a lawsuit filed by Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif, accusing them of "acts of aggravated cyber harassment."
The complaint was filed to French authorities by Khelif's attorney who says he hopes the prosecution investigates "whoever it… pic.twitter.com/dA89fcH6lq
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 13, 2024
