Author J.K Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk have both been named in a French cyberbullying complaint filed by boxer Imane Khelif.
Kelif faced a wave of online abuse during the 2024 Paris Olympics when there were suggestions that she was not female.
Khelif, who is from Algeria, and Taiwan’s Lin Yu‑ting were both ruled ineligible at the World Boxing Championships run by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in New Delhi in 2023. At the time officials said some players had failed a gender test, specific details of the test were not made public.
The competition at the Olympics was run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which uses a different criterion for determining gender eligibility.
News of the details of the complaint were first published by entertainment industry publication Variety.
In a statement sent to Variety, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office (National Center for the Fight Against Online Hatred), confirmed it received the complaint filed by Khelif and announced that an investigation had been launched.
The lawsuit names the social media company X, as well as owner Elon Musk, as is Harry Potter author JK Rowling. Authorities have also indicated they would look into posts made by now US President Donald Trump.
Khelif was born female in Algeria and has never identified as being transgender or intersex.
Investigators in Paris are also looking into online hared directed at the Artistic Director of the games’ Opening Ceremony, and high-profile performers who took part in a section that was accused of mocking religious imagery.
Online abused directed at Artistic Director Thomas Jolly, DJ Barbara Butch and drag star Nicky Doll are also being investigated.
