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Imane Khelif<\/strong> endured relentless accusations that she was a man wrongfully competing in women\u2019s boxing at the Paris Olympics, where she knocked out Italy\u2019s Angela Carini<\/strong> in just 46 seconds during their opening fight.<\/p>\n The criticism and false claims about the Algerian Olympian\u2019s sex during the Summer Games quickly spread online, with prominent celebrities like J.K. Rowling<\/strong>, Elon Musk<\/strong>, and even Donald Trump<\/strong> fervently chastising the 25-year-old. They reiterated to their combined 298 million followers on X that \u201cmen don\u2019t belong in women\u2019s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n To her 14.2 million followers, the 59-year-old Harry Potter author posted a picture from Khelif\u2019s fight with Carini, writing, \u201cThe smirk of a male who knows he\u2019s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment, enjoying the distress of a woman he\u2019s just punched in the head, and whose life\u2019s ambition he\u2019s just shattered.\u201d<\/p>\n Musk, who owns X, shared a post from U.S. swimmer Riley Gaines stating, \u201cmen don\u2019t belong in women\u2019s sports.\u201d The 53-year-old co-signed the message by writing, \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n Former President Donald Trump, 78, on his social platform Truth Social, posted a photo from Khelif\u2019s fight against Carini, accompanied by the message: \u201cI will keep men out of women\u2019s sports!\u201d<\/p>\n The lawsuit was filed against X, which under French law means it was filed against unknown persons. This \u201censures that the prosecution has all the latitude to investigate against all people,\u201d explained Nabil Boudi<\/strong>, Khelif\u2019s Paris-based attorney. He added that Rowling and Musk are named in the lawsuit and that Trump would inevitably be part of the investigation. \u201cTrump tweeted, so whether or not he is named in our lawsuit, he will inevitably be looked into as part of the prosecution.\u201d<\/p>\n The International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended Khelif and denounced those spreading misinformation. Khelif herself stated that the spread of misconceptions about her \u201charms human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n Khelif\u2019s coach, Pedro Diaz<\/strong>, said the bullying the boxer endured during the Olympics \u201cincredibly affected her\u201d and \u201ceveryone around her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time she fought in the Olympics, there was this crazy storm outside of the ring,\u201d said Diaz, who had trained 21 Olympic champions before Khelif. \u201cI had never seen anything so disgusting in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n Khelif asserted, \u201cI am fully qualified to take part in this competition. I\u2019m a woman like any other woman. I was born a woman, I have lived as a woman, I compete as a woman\u2014there\u2019s no doubt about that. [The detractors] are enemies of success\u2014that is what I call them. And that also gives my success a special taste because of these attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n The issue received widespread attention after Carini abandoned her match against Khelif in the 66kg boxing competition, claiming, \u201cI have never felt a punch like this,\u201d after refusing to shake Khelif\u2019s hand post-match.<\/p>\n Later, Carini expressed regret for her behavior in the aftermath of the fight and said she would like to apologize to Khelif. \u201cAll this controversy makes me sad,\u201d Carini told the Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport,<\/em> according to the BBC and the Associated Press. \u201cI\u2019m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.\u201d<\/p>\n Regarding not shaking Khelif\u2019s hand, the Italian boxer added, \u201cIt wasn\u2019t something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke. I don\u2019t have anything against Khelif. If I were to meet her again, I would embrace her.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n