**”Imane Khalif Files Complaint Against ‘Cyber Harassers’ in Paris”**
Algerian boxer Imane Khalif, who won the gold medal in the 66 kg weight category at the Paris Olympics, filed a complaint on Friday in Paris alleging severe cyber harassment, following a controversy over her gender identity, according to her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, on Saturday.
Boudi stated in a press release, “After just winning a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, boxer Imane Khalif has decided to take on a new battle: a battle for justice, dignity, and honor.” He added that Khalif “filed a complaint on Friday regarding severe cyber harassment with the Cyber Hate Center at the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office.”
He continued, “The criminal investigation will determine who initiated this hateful campaign of misogyny, racism, and sexual bias, but it must also focus on those who fueled this digital lynching without trial.”
Boudi remarked that “the unjust harassment faced by the boxing champion will remain the most significant mark of these Olympic Games.”
Khalif secured the gold medal on Friday evening in the 66 kg final at Roland Garros, which was converted into a boxing venue. She defeated China’s Liu Yang, the second seed, with a unanimous 5-0 decision by the judges, becoming the first Algerian and African boxer to win an Olympic gold medal.
Three years after competing in the Tokyo Olympics without any controversy, the 25-year-old found herself amidst a gender identity debate in Paris, driven by conservative circles, amid a dispute between the International Olympic Committee and the International Boxing Federation led by Russian Umar Kremlev.
For the International Olympic Committee, her eligibility is not in question, allowing her to compete in women’s events. However, the controversy resurfaced when her opponent in the first round, Italian Angela Carini, withdrew after just 46 seconds following two powerful blows to her head.
The Algerian boxer has become a victim of a hate and misinformation campaign tainted with racism on social media.
–by/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚