By If you’ve been following the buzz around the Paris 2024 Olympics, then you must’ve heard at least a thing or two about the controversy surrounding Imane Khelif.
The Algerian Olympic boxer, known for her fierce presence in the ring, found herself at the center of a storm when her gender was questioned after a massive win in the women’s welterweight division. Social media exploded with misinformation, fueled by high-profile figures, leading to a barrage of unfounded claims that took a toll on her reputation.
From false accusations to legal battles, we’re breaking down everything that’s happened with Imane with this tweet roundup.
How misinformation about Imane Khelif went viral this year
The Olympics allowed a biological man, Imane Khelif, to fight as a woman despite his XY chromosomes. The end result?
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 1, 2024
“I have never been hit so hard in my life.”
Italian Olympian Angela Carini lasted 46 seconds before quitting due to how painful it was. It’s just shameful that… pic.twitter.com/OWhKggM7qe
🚨 THIS IS SO F*CKED UP 🚨
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) July 30, 2024
Olympics FORCING Female Boxers To Step in the Ring WITH BIOLOGICAL MEN ⚠️
Every single sicko responsible for this should be thrown in prison if any of these girls ever die in a match.
Notice the defeated look on her face while facing Khelif Imane,… pic.twitter.com/l1DtsBVDzu
Imane Khelif’s case has exposed the contradictions in the so-called “gender critical” movement by forcing transphobes into a position where they’re arguing gender is ambiguous.
— Matt Zarb-Cousin (@mattzarb) August 13, 2024
Imane Khelif was born with a cervix, but they have argued she is “too manly” for women’s boxing, and…
Could any picture sum up our new men’s rights movement better? The smirk of a male who’s knows he’s protected by a misogynist sporting establishment enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head, and whose life’s ambition he’s just shattered. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/Q5SbKiksXQ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 1, 2024
imane khelif’s next opponent, the hungarian luca hamori, posted this on her ig story… so vile and disgusting pic.twitter.com/7P4e8roSSn
— hania ⵣ (@regrttes) August 2, 2024
Trump on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif:
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) August 10, 2024
"And I'd like to congratulate the young woman who transitioned from a man into a boxer. You saw he won. She won the gold medal."pic.twitter.com/pwIgNqM3sw
Racism fueling the situation
A white woman Ilona Maher is body shamed & @BostonGlobe praises her for “growing the game & helping women see themselves”
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) August 4, 2024
An Arab Muslim woman Imane Khelif is body shamed & Boston Globe piles on the misinformation
This is how legacy media normalizes & advances white supremacy😐 pic.twitter.com/00V8XPREQd
Proof of Imane’s gender identity
Imane Khelif's birth document, shown by her dad.
— Nick Dagan Best (@NickDaganBest) August 3, 2024
On the off chance that a time of birth might be mentioned, do we have any astrologers out there who can read Arabic?#astrology pic.twitter.com/6YOjQ7lg47
the fact this imane khelif story got to a point where her dad has to go on media outlets around the world to prove anything is absolutely ridiculous.
— omar (@sonofakka) August 3, 2024
the west is racist. this is all rooted in anti-Arabism, misogyny, western-centrism – there’s no hiding any of this anymore. pic.twitter.com/vcIQWXZLV6
#الجزائر #Algeria
— Sofiane Egidio (@Sofiane1070) August 5, 2024
The portrait of #imanekhelif
The gym is ten kilometers from the family home. For training, the young girl has to take the bus and the family does not have enough resources to pay for it. No matter. On the side of the road, Imane will sell homemade bread and… pic.twitter.com/xZLHB9NKPY
Our Lovely and Powerful #Imane_Khelif 🥊 🇩🇿
— عماد الدين زناف (@IZenaf) August 3, 2024
#Iman_Khalif #IstandWithImaneKhelif #imanekhelifiswomen #Imankhelifourbeautifulchampion #Paris2024 #JOParis2024 #Olympics2024Paris #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/jO7IW0ZFSG
Social media users advocating for Imane
see this little angel girl ? yeah that’s imane khelif that everyone claims to be a man
— 🎀 (@nvsrine) July 30, 2024
as you can see she’s 100% GIRL #ImaneKhelif we’re proud of you queen pic.twitter.com/6XcVkEh5gk
Imane Khelif IS a cís woman. Not trans
— Becca (@Irishgirlbragh_) August 7, 2024
Her having XY chromosomes (Isn't proven, IBA aren't credible & are anti-LGBTQ+) that does not make her a man
JK Rowling, like so many, are happy to jump at the bit to demonize tráns women. Which is causing to cís women to be hurt pic.twitter.com/qb50hic23L
The IBA organization is sponsored by Gazprom.
— thee sofa loren couch emporium (@theerougarou) August 5, 2024
Disinformation saying that Imane Khelif has XY chromosomes started with Putin's pal Umar Kremlev.
It is quite literally Russian propaganda.#IStandWithImaneKhelif #StopTransHate https://t.co/eFJT02u0MT pic.twitter.com/ieIJN7ozWk
I was confused about the Imane Khelif shenanigans. A quick look on Wikipedia reveals a very simple explanation. Bad enough that IBA did this in the first place, but the consequences have been unimaginable. Shame so many people jumped on the bandwagon without doing basic research https://t.co/wK9ce1NENC pic.twitter.com/nH64jzeInW
— Jake Levi (@lakejevi) August 14, 2024
A non innocent question
— non_stop FRTSPF (@FRTSPF) August 9, 2024
Why Asian players didn’t bully, complain or wean about #Imane_Khelif winning them ?!
They r real champions all respect 🫡 #Imane_Khelif #ImaneKhelif #Olympic2024 #OlimpiadasParis2024 #OlympicGames # pic.twitter.com/hGrZaLVuM5
Imane Khelif is a female-born woman fighter, she’s perfectly eligible to compete in women’s sports from a gender point of view
— 𝙁𝙎 🇵🇸 (@Fs_FTBL) August 1, 2024
She’s born a female, please do not belittle her achievement as a woman and call her a man. It’s not right. This mass misinformation needs to stop. https://t.co/FSQOpxMQJG pic.twitter.com/Ft4kEz4Mxr
how do i tell Imane Khelif that she's now an honorary Egyptian in our household and that she inspired millions of girls everywhere bec i NEED her to know the power she has. what a great inspiring human. i love you imane
— ran🍉🕊️ (@novoamorjk) August 12, 2024
Imane earning her much-deserved gold medal
Lin Yu-Ting (Taiwan) and Imane Khelif (Algeria) both won gold at the Olympics in their respective weight classes despite all of the hate and animosity towards them. These two amazing amazing women…they aren’t just boxers….they are Fighters. pic.twitter.com/u8uQdgD6eH
— Yuh-Line Niou (@yuhline) August 10, 2024
The side Western media doesn’t highlight
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚! ❤️😭
— Waseem ವಸೀಮ್ وسیم (@WazBLR) August 3, 2024
I can NOT believe Imane Khelif pasted Hamori's racist ass 0-5, & then shook her hands even though Hamori attacked her online before the fight by posting cartoons calling her a "devil man"!
WE STAN IMANE ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Da3U52yDp7
After all the transphobia, witch-hunting, and the despicable and unsportsmanlike disrespect shown by a handful of athletes – let THIS image be the one that stays with you:
— Scot 🇵🇸 (@scotwithat) August 9, 2024
After Imane Khelif won her gold medal bout her opponent, Yang Liu of China, embraced her with a smile. pic.twitter.com/vYjkQaailZ
Asian women who imane Khelif faced in this Olympics were respectful and even celebrated her GOLD on the podium…..while the European women she faced went home complaining & crying. pic.twitter.com/q6VCLwf2fL
— Waseem ವಸೀಮ್ وسیم (@WazBLR) August 9, 2024
Asian women are not crybabies🤪Imane Khelif celebrating her win with the Asian fighters ♥️ I love to see this 😍 #ImaneKhelif pic.twitter.com/z5fkFV7fog
— 𝐄𝐳𝐫𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐦 (マドンナ)🐇⚽👒 (@Jade_rabbit0909) August 10, 2024
Imane suing J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, Logan Paul, for cyberbullying
Imane Khelif has just announced that she is taking legal action for the cyber harassment and bullying she has suffered. #ImaneKhelif #Imane_Khelif #Iman_Khalif pic.twitter.com/wPgzX3tQc0
— i (@Miksiddiqui) August 10, 2024
J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk, two of the biggest names on the planet, just found themselves on the wrong side of the law. French authorities aren’t messing around—they’ve filed a criminal complaint against them for “aggravated cyber harassment” aimed at Imane Khelif, the Algerian… pic.twitter.com/pcj7lzCtsp
— Mitch Jackson (@mitchjackson) August 14, 2024
Logan Paul deserves it, he shouldn’t have said stupid shit about Imane Khelif. Actions have consequences, he fucked around and now he’s about to find out. https://t.co/Lz5qlsORoD pic.twitter.com/H02ED8YMqE
— Ivan Perez (@S1lentonexx88) August 14, 2024
Dear Ms. Imane Khelif, hear me out: don't settle for just Twitter. Take Tesla, too.
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) August 13, 2024
Imane Khelif suing some of the worst "celebritites" of today is the best news of the week. Go queen! #imanekhelif
— Lily⁷🍉 (@jooniesslibrary) August 14, 2024
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