Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won Olympic gold despite controversy over her gender eligibility, is suing over media stories regarding leaked medical data, the International Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday. According to reports published in France this week, Khelif, 25, has XY chromosomes, which are male. The gender debate erupted at the Paris Games in August. Khelif defeated Angela Carini in 46 seconds in her first match, leaving the Italian in tears and fleeing the battle due to a seriously injured nose. It sparked a debate that drew responses from politicians and celebrities ranging from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling.
“We are aware that Imane is Khelif, who has filed legal proceedings against anyone who reported on her circumstance during the Games of Paris 2024 and is additionally planning a lawsuit to respond to the latest expressing,” the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said.
According to the IOC, Khelif has competed in the women’s category in international competition for “many years,” including in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, as well as at International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships and IBA-sanctioned events.
The IOC said that it was “devastated by the cruel treatment that Imane Khelif is right now receiving”. Khelif, who was greeted as a hero when she returned to Algeria after winning the Olympics, has already filed a lawsuit in France for internet harassment.