Algerian boxer Imane Khelif became the unlikely face of this Olympics when she was subjected to online abuse after Italian boxer Angela Carini was knocked out in 46 seconds. Calif won the women's 66kg welterweight gold medal a week later.
Some viewers who watched her bout against Garini later raised questions about Calif's participation, citing the now-discredited boxing regulator's 2023 decision to ban her from women's competition.
However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) strongly supported her participation in the 2024 Games, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said, adding that she was born a woman, registered as a woman, lived as a woman, boxed as a woman and had a woman. Passport. »
The fight became a focal point for the misinformed debate about how women were allowed to compete in the Games. It also sparked an onslaught of online abuse, with transphobic commenters falsely calling Califf « a man » because of the alleged physical attraction.
In the eyes of the world, Khalif progressed through the competition, receiving huge support from the crowd watching his fight and eventually winning the gold medal.
“I am very happy. For eight years, this has been my dream, and now I am an Olympic champion and a gold medalist,” he said after the fight. « I have worked for eight years, no sleep, eight years are tiring. »
After Khalif won her gold medal, her lawyer, Nabil Boudi, said on Saturday that she had filed a legal complaint with Paris prosecutors alleging « severe online harassment ».
« Imane Khalif decided to start a new struggle: for justice, dignity and respect, » said his lawyer, Nabil Boudi.
« The investigation will determine who started this misogynistic, racist and sexist campaign, but also those who fed this online murder, » he added.
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