Elon Musk and JK Rowling could face five years in prison and fines of up to £214,000 if Paris 2024 Olympic boxer Imane Khelif wins her case against them, after naming the pair in a criminal complaint for “cyberbullying”.
Tech billionaire Musk and Harry Potter author Rowling were among high-profile figures who led the protest over Khelif’s participation in this summer’s Games where the Algerian wrestler won gold.
Khelif has now filed a complaint with French authorities alleging “acts of aggravated cyber harassment” and the possible penalties at stake have been revealed, as well as the possibility of even more famous names being targeted.
The 25-year-old Olympian, who is not a transgender woman, reportedly has male “XY chromosomes,” leading to her disqualification from the 2023 world championships.
At the time, she failed unspecified gender eligibility tests administered by the now-banned International Boxing Association, and the International Olympic Committee took over boxing events at Paris 2024.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif is seen celebrating after beating Janjaem Suwannapheng in their semi-final at Paris 2024 on August 14 on her way to Olympic gold in the women’s 66kg final.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, pictured at the British Academy Film Awards BAFTAs at the Albert Hall in London in February 2017, has criticised Khelif’s involvement in this summer’s Games.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk, owner of social media site X, formerly Twitter, also used the platform to condemn Khelif’s involvement in women’s boxing at Paris 2024.
Her participation against female boxers at the Games sparked protests from many, including Musk and Rowling, as well as some of her defeated competitors, but also support from others who backed her right to fight.
Nabil Boudi, the Paris-based lawyer for the gold medalist, now has… he told Variety Musk and Rowling were named in a criminal complaint filed last week with the U.S. Attorney General’s Center to Combat Online Hate.
The possible repercussions for cyberbullying offences in France are prison sentences of between two and five years and fines of between £26,000 and £39,000.
If prosecuted for inciting hatred online, perpetrators could even face fines of between £64,000 and £214,000.
Mr Boudi said Khelif filed the suit as part of his “fight for justice, dignity and honour”.
It was issued against Musk’s social network X, formerly called Twitter, meaning it was filed against “persons unknown” under French law.
The lawyer explained that he assures that the ‘Prosecutor’s Office has complete freedom to investigate against all persons’, including those who shared hate messages under pseudonyms.
“JK Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others,” he wrote on X, noting that former US President Donald Trump is also reportedly part of the investigation.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif names Elon Musk and JK Rowling in cyberbullying lawsuit
Olympic gold medalist’s lawyer files lawsuit against X, names high-profile stars
“What we are asking is that the Prosecutor’s Office investigate not only these people, but also whoever it deems necessary. If the case goes to court, they will be tried,” he said.
He added that while this particular suit was filed in France, “it could target figures abroad.”
“Trump tweeted, so regardless of whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be investigated as part of the process,” he added.
French prosecutors have opened an investigation into Khelif’s online harassment complaint, the Paris prosecutor’s office said today, without naming specific subjects.
Its Office to Combat Crimes against Humanity and Hate Crimes is investigating charges of “gender-based cyberbullying, gender-based public insults, public incitement to discrimination, and public insults based on origin.”
The news comes just days after Khelif took home the gold medal in the women’s 66kg boxing competition.
She emerged victorious after enduring a lengthy campaign, in which she faced a barrage of questions about her gender.
In a post on X, Rowling shared a photo of Khelif’s fight with Italian Angela Carini, accusing the Algerian of being a man who was “taking pleasure in the anguish of a woman he just hit over the head.”
‘JK Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit,’ Khelife’s lawyer wrote on X: The Harry Potter author (pictured) has been outspoken in her criticism of the boxer’s involvement in Paris 2024
Nabil Boudi said he hopes “the prosecutor’s office will investigate all the people,” including tech billionaire Musk (pictured at the Cannes Lions International Film Festival in June).
Trump shared a clip of Khelif’s fight against Cerini and said he would “keep men out of women’s sports”
Musk re-shared former American competitive swimmer Riley Gaines’ post saying “men don’t belong in women’s sports”; the SpaceX boss added: “Absolutely.”
Meanwhile, Trump wrote: “I will keep men out of women’s sports,” alongside a snapshot of Khelif’s fight with Carini.
The backlash against the boxer began when Carini abandoned the fight just 46 seconds after she… He was hit twice, suffered a suspected broken nose and was barely able to throw a punch.
The Italian then fell to her knees, pounded the canvas in frustration and refused to shake Khelif’s hand as she conceded victory.
Meanwhile, Olympic chiefs reaffirmed their decision to allow Khelif… and Taiwanby Lin Yu-ting – to compete after being disqualified from the 2023 world championships.
Shortly after the event, the IOC withdrew the IBA’s status over governance issues and alleged corruption.
“Everyone has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the IOC said in a statement, criticising “misleading information about two female athletes.”
“The IOC is saddened by the abuse currently being suffered by the two athletes.”
The 25-year-old has been cleared to compete in the women’s category at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Angela Carini abandoned her fight with Khelif after 46 seconds before breaking down in tears.
Carini (left) retired after taking two hits in his round of 16 match in the 66kg event.
Khelif has now returned to Algeria, where she was welcomed by the country’s president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and then by her family in her hometown, Ain Mesbah.
In her home country, her former coach Mustapha Bensaou said the boxer’s complaint in France was initiated by Algerian authorities and should “serve as a lesson in the defence of the rights and honour (of athletes) in Algeria and around the world.”
“All those involved will be prosecuted for violating Imane’s dignity and honor,” he told the Associated Press.
“The attacks on Imane were aimed at breaking her and undermining her morale. Thank God, she succeeded.”
Some sports have limited the levels of testosterone allowed for athletes competing in female competitions, while others prohibit participation by anyone who has gone through male puberty.
Differences in sexual disorders are a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones, and reproductive organs.
Some people with DSD are raised as women but have XY sex chromosomes and blood testosterone levels within the male range.
The IOC said eligibility rules were based on those for the 2021 Tokyo Games and could not be changed during a competition.
