JK Rowling, Elon Musk sued for spewing online hate against Olympic winner Imane Khelif

JK Rowling always has a way to find herself in the eye of a raging controversy and this time its related to Algerian boxer and newly crowned champion Imane Khelif who won at recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024. After Imane won, many celebrities including JK Rowling and X owner Elon Musk were named in a criminal complaint over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment”.

Reported by Variety, Nabil Boudi who is a Paris-based attorney of Khelif confirmed that both Elon Musk and JK Rowling have been mentioned in a complaint over online hate directed towards the Olympic champion.

What is the lawsuit for?

The lawsuit was filed against X, which under French law means that it was filed against unknown persons. That “ensure[s] that the ‘prosecution has all the latitude to be able to investigate against all people,” including those who may have written hateful messages under pseudonyms, said Boudi. The complaint mentions famously controversial figures.

Also since the complaint is against X, celebrities like Donald Trump will also be questioned because he posted on X against Imane’s win. 

Imane Khelif won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 66 kilogram boxing competition. Her participation and then subsequent win was a topic of discussion as people mentioned about gender eligibility. Despite being born female and not identifying as transgender or intersex — and being backed by the International Olympic Committee, who asserted “scientifically, this is not a man fighting a woman”, Imane Khelif was accused of cheating her way to win.

What was the furore against Imane Khelif's win?

Netizens targetted the Olympian and called her ineligible because she looked “manly” and “masculine” than her counterparts. Controversy erupted after Italy’s Angela Carini pulled out of her Round of 16 bout against Khelif after only 46 seconds. She cried and said that she had “never been hit so hard” in her life.

As for JK Rowling, she posted on X, a picture from Khelif’s fight with Italian boxer Angela Carini, accusing the former of being a man who was “enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.” 

After JK Rowling posted this, she faced a barrage of comments ranging from how she had a myopic vision and that she was always looking for controversies. The novelist then again took to X and posted, "For the record, bombarding me with pictures of athletic women to ‘teach’ me that women don’t all look like Barbie is like spamming me with pics of differently-shaped potatoes to prove rocks are edible. I can still see the difference and you look frankly bonkers."

Elon Musk, meanwhile, shared a post from swimmer Riley Gaines that claimed “men don’t belong in women’s sports.” The X owner co-signed the message by writing: “Absolutely.” 

Trump posted a message with a picture from the fight with Carina. He wrore, “I will keep men out of women’s sports!”

Imane Khelif’s attorney claimed that while the lawsuit was filed in France, “it could target personalities overseas,” pointing out that “the prosecutor’s office for combating online hate speech has the possibility to make requests for mutual legal assistance with other countries.” 

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