Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling face potential prison sentences of up to five years and fines reaching £214,000 if Paris 2024 Olympic boxer Imane Khelif succeeds in her cyberbullying lawsuit against them.
The lawsuit alleges “aggravated cyber harassment” by Musk and Rowling, who were vocal critics of Khelif’s participation in the Olympics, where she won gold. The lawsuit highlights the legal repercussions for their actions, which could lead to prison terms of two to five years and fines between £26,000 and £39,000 for cyberbullying, or up to £214,000 if considered hate speech.
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Khelif, a 25-year-old Algerian Olympian, faced gender eligibility issues that led to her disqualification from the 2023 world championships. Her participation in the Paris 2024 Games sparked controversy, including from Musk and Rowling, as well as some competitors. Supporters also backed her right to compete.
Nabil Boudi, Khelif’s attorney in Paris, confirmed that the criminal complaint was submitted to France’s anti-online hatred center, naming Musk and Rowling. The lawsuit is aimed at “unknown persons” on Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to investigate hateful messages, including those from anonymous users. Former US President Donald Trump is also named in the lawsuit for his social media posts about Khelif.
French prosecutors have launched an investigation into claims of gender-based cyber harassment, public insults, and incitement to discrimination. This follows Khelif’s recent gold medal win in the women’s 66kg boxing category and the significant scrutiny she faced over her gender.
Rowling had shared a photo of Khelif’s match, accusing her of taking pleasure in her opponent’s distress. Musk re-shared a post criticizing the inclusion of men in women’s sports, while Trump supported excluding men from women’s sports with his own post.
The backlash intensified when Khelif’s opponent, Angela Carini, abandoned their fight early, leading to criticism of Khelif. Despite this, the International Olympic Committee upheld its decision to allow Khelif to compete, following the disqualification of the International Boxing Association.
In Algeria, Khelif was celebrated by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and her family. Her former coach, Mustapha Bensaou, stated that the lawsuit seeks to uphold athletes’ rights and dignity worldwide, emphasizing that the attacks on Khelif were intended to demoralize her.
