Algerian boxer Imane Khelif files harassment complaint amid gender dispute

Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif — who was at the centre of a gender dispute following her win at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 — has filed a formal legal complaint, citing being an online harassment victim.

According to her lawyer, the boxer clinched a gold medal in the women's welterweight category on Friday. Both Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were in the spotlight at the mega sport tournament due to a dispute that remained in the headlines.

The issue was incessantly debated on social media with netizens, including the likes of British author JK Rowling and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, raising questions over Khelif's gender after which she was alleged of playing a women's sport while being a biological man.

The Algeria athlete's lawyer Nabil Boudi, in an interview to Reuters, said that the complaint was filed on Friday.

"All that is being said about me on social media is immoral. I want to change the minds of people around the world," Khelif said on Saturday.

On Friday, Khelif beat Liu to claim the gold medal in the women's welterweight boxing.

The gold medallist, who won by unanimous decision, is the first Algerian woman to earn an Olympic boxing title and the first boxer from her country to claim gold since Hocine Soltani at Atlanta 1996. Women's boxing has been in the Olympics since London 2012.

"I'm very happy. This is my dream. Eight years, my dream. I'm Olympic champion, gold medallist. I'm very happy. Eight years, I work," the 25-year-old Khelif.

"Eight years, no sleep. Eight years, tired. Now, I'm Olympic champion. I'm very happy. I want to thank all the people come to support me. People, Algeria, and all the people, Paris."