France probes cyberbullying of Pairs Olympics gold-winning boxer Imane Khelif amid gender row

First Published Aug 14, 2024, 4:23 PM IST | Last Updated Aug 14, 2024, 4:23 PM IST

French authorities have launched a cyberbullying investigation after Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, who was involved in a gender controversy at the Paris Olympic Games, filed a complaint. The Paris public prosecutor's office confirmed that the investigation into "cyber harassment" began on Tuesday in response to the high-profile incident at the Games.

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Khelif's lawyer, Nabil Boudi, announced last week that the 25-year-old athlete had filed a complaint against online harassment, describing it as a "fight for justice."

"The investigation will determine who was behind this misogynist, racist and sexist campaign, but will also have to concern itself with those who fed the online lynching," he said at the time.

Imane Khelif clinched the women's 66kg final at the Paris Olympics, defeating China's Yang Liu in a unanimous points decision. Despite her victory, Khelif faced intense scrutiny during the Games.

Both Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who won the 57kg women's final, had been disqualified from last year's world championships after failing gender eligibility tests. However, they were later cleared to compete in Paris, sparking one of the most significant controversies of the Olympics.

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The International Boxing Association's Russian president, Umar Kremlev, has criticized both athletes, claiming that "genetic testing shows that these are men."

The International Boxing Association (IBA) oversaw the 2023 world championships, from which Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif were disqualified. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared both athletes to compete in Paris.

Addressing the controversy, Khelif affirmed her identity, stating, "I am a woman like any other. I was born a woman, lived as a woman, and competed as a woman," she told reporters regarding her eligibility.

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