Algerian boxer and Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has filed a cyberbullying lawsuit against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, and others.
The lawsuit, which has drawn significant attention, follows claims by Musk, Rowling, and former U.S. President Donald Trump that Khelif is a transgender male competing in women’s events at the Olympics. These assertions sparked a wave of hateful comments against her on social media.
Adding to the controversy, some individuals claimed that Khelif has XY chromosomes instead of XX, further fueling online harassment. The lawsuit, filed with French authorities, is centered on “acts of aggravated cyber harassment,” according to reports from Variety.
Khelif’s attorney, Nabil Boudi, revealed to Variety that the lawsuit specifically targets Musk’s platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), allowing for an investigation into those responsible for spreading the harmful claims. Boudi confirmed that Musk and Rowling are named in the lawsuit, along with others.
Boudi also noted that while Trump’s tweet on the matter may lead to him being scrutinized as part of the investigation, it’s unclear if he is formally included in the lawsuit. Controversial YouTuber Logan Paul, who also accused Khelif of being a man despite evidence to the contrary, later deleted his comments and issued an apology for potentially spreading misinformation.
In Algeria, transitioning to a gender different from one’s birth gender is illegal, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.