The International Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday that Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who won Olympic gold despite a dispute over her gender eligibility, is suing over media stories regarding her medical data.
According to reports this week in France, Khelif, 25, has male chromosomes, or XY.
When Khelif defeated Angela Carini in her maiden match at the August Olympics in Paris in 46 seconds, the Italian broke down in tears and left the fight after suffering a severely injured nose, sparking the gender debate.
It led to a row that attracted comments from politicians and personalities ranging from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling.
“We understand that Imane Khelif has taken legal action against individuals who commented on her situation during the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and is also preparing a lawsuit in response to the latest reporting,” the IOC said in a statement.
“The IOC will not comment while legal action is ongoing, or on media reports about unverified documents whose origin cannot be confirmed.”
The IOC said Khelif had competed in the women’s category in international competition “for many years”, including at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and at the International Boxing Association (IBA) world championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments.
The IOC added that it was “saddened by the abuse that Imane Khelif is currently receiving”.
Khelif, who received a hero’s welcome when she returned to Algeria after her Olympic triumph, has already filed a complaint in France for online harassment.
