J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk have been ensnared in a criminal complaint lodged with French authorities, accusing them of alleged "heinous acts of cyberbullying" against the Algerian boxer and freshly minted Olympic champion, Imane Khelif. Nabil Boudi, Khelif's Paris-based legal counsel, confirmed to Variety that both these prominent figures were explicitly mentioned in the complaint's text, which was submitted to the Paris prosecutor's office's anti-online hatred hub on Friday.
The lawsuit, filed under the French legal framework's designation of 'X,' signifies an action against unnamed individuals, a strategic move that "grants the prosecution vast leeway to delve into all suspects," including those hiding behind pseudonyms to spew hateful rhetoric, explained Boudi. Nevertheless, the complaint boldly singles out some of the most divisive personalities.
"J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk are among those named in the lawsuit, among others," he stated, further revealing that Donald Trump, too, would be scrutinized as part of the investigation. "Trump's tweets make it inevitable that, whether explicitly named or not, he will be under the prosecution's microscope," Boudi added.
Khelif, who triumphantly secured the Olympic gold medal in the women's 66-kilogram boxing category on Saturday, found herself at the epicenter of a contentious and ugly debate surrounding her gender eligibility throughout the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite being born female, refraining from identifying as transgender or intersex, and having the International Olympic Committee firmly back her, asserting, "scientifically, this is not a man fighting a woman," Khelif endured a relentless barrage of accusations and vile abuse related to her gender.
The bulk of the assaults converged via social media, with Twitter emerging as the prime battleground. The controversy snowballed into a full-blown furor when prominent figures ventured into the fray, each wielding their digital megaphones. Rowling, addressing her colossal audience of 14.2 million followers, uploaded a gripping image from Khelif's bout with the Italian pugilist, Angela Carini, leveling accusations against the former, alleging she was a male perpetrator who found solace in inflicting anguish upon a woman he had just struck in the head.
Concurrently, Musk chimed in, echoing a swimmer, Riley Gaines's, assertion that "men have no place in women's sports," by emphatically endorsing with a resolute "Absolutely." Trump, too, joined the chorus, posting a picture from Khelif's match against Carina, coupled with a defiant message: "I stand firm in my commitment to keep men out of women's sports!"
Boudi underscored that despite the complaint's named individuals, "Our plea is for the prosecution to cast its net wide, investigating not just these but any other individuals deemed necessary. If the matter progresses to court, they shall face justice." He further illuminated that though the lawsuit originated in France, "its reach extends beyond borders," highlighting the potential for the French prosecutor's office dedicated to countering online hate speech to collaborate with international counterparts through mutual legal assistance agreements, including those with their American counterpart.
Logan Paul, another prominent voice in the fray, initially took to X to denounce Khelif's victory over Carini, lamenting, "Before our very eyes, a grotesque display of injustice unfolds. A man is permitted to vanquish a woman on a global stage, shattering her lifelong aspirations while fighting for her late father's legacy. This illusion must come to an end." However, Paul soon retracted his statement, acknowledging a possible misstep in "disseminating misinformation."
Yet, for Bouli, these apologies—even those personally tendered by influential individuals who had tweeted disparaging remarks, as Khelif herself had received—failed to alter the course of the investigation in any tangible way. "The legal proceedings stand firm, and the facts remain immutable," he emphasized.
Regarding X, Boudi clarified that the complaint was specifically targeted at the authors of the social media posts, not the platforms themselves. "It is the prerogative of legislators to impose sanctions on platforms, not ours," he stated. Nevertheless, he acknowledged a significant shift in the judicial landscape, where cyber harassment cases are now met with much graver consequences, including, in certain instances, "the imposition of prison terms."
Khelif's coach, Pedro Diaz, who spoke to Variety, recounted the tormenting bullying that had significantly impacted not just the boxer but also her entire entourage during her Olympic journey. "When she first stepped into the Olympic arena, a tempest of negativity raged outside the ropes," Diaz reminisced, having helmed Miami's Mundo Boxing Gym and commenced her training in February 2023. "I've never witnessed such vileness in my life," he added, his coaching resume boasting 21 Olympic champions prior to Khelif.
Diaz recounted urging Khelif to steer clear of social media, fearing it might distract her from her golden dream. "She's exceptionally intelligent and driven, with a motivation that is truly awe-inspiring," he praised, noting that her triumph felt like "the most fulfilling victory of my coaching career."
