Algerian boxer and Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has commented on the controversy surrounding comments questioning her gender made by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J.K. Rowling. “It hurt me a lot.”
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Algerian boxer and gold medalist Imane Khelif faced comments questioning her gender from Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and J.K. Rowling.
The controversy began after Khelif’s match against Italian boxer Angela Carini, which lasted 46 seconds and ended with Khelif’s victory. American swimmer Riley Gaines made a post on X that indirectly questioned Imane Khelif’s gender.
“Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini,” Gaines wrote. In 2023, Khelif was disqualified from the IBA World Boxing Championships due to alleged high testosterone levels.
Imane Khelif was born female, has not undergone any gender transition, and does not identify as transgender.
X CEO Elon Musk shared Gaines’ post. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling also made comments questioning the boxer’s gender.
Former President Donald Trump referred to Imane Khelif as “he” during a rally shortly after the boxer won her gold medal.
+Watch the video of Imane Khelif’s interview
In an interview shared by journalist Sulaiman Ahmed, Imane Khelif revealed that being compared to a man “hurt her deeply.”
“It affected me a lot, it hurt me a lot. I can’t describe the amount of fear I felt,” said the boxer.
Khelif stated that questions about her gender affect not only her but other women as well. “Those politicians who are oppressing me don’t have the right to say that I’m transgender.”
Recently, Imane Khelif has included the names of Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling in a lawsuit for cyberbullying. Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, said that Trump is also a potential target of the investigation.
“Trump tweeted, so whether he is mentioned in our lawsuit or not, he will inevitably be investigated as part of the accusation,” Boudi said.
Imane Khelif. Photos: Instagram @coa.dz X @ShaykhSulaiman. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
