Imane Khelif tumultuous past month, facing negative comments and questions about her gender as she participated in the biggest stage of her career. While she shut out the noise and rose to the occasion by winning the gold, she now seeks justice for what she endured. The Algerian boxer has filed a cyberbullying lawsuit, and some prominent names are on the list, including J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk.

Khelif’s lawyer, Nabil Boudi, confirmed to Variety that the complaint named Rowling and Musk. He said, “J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk are named in the lawsuit, among others.” Amusingly, Donald Trump would also be a party to the investigation, as he had promised to “keep men out of women’s sports.” 

In addition, the investigation could also include names necessary to investigate. They would have to face a trial if the case goes to court. Boudi continued, “If the case goes to court, they will stand trial.” This might come as a relief to the Tiaret native, who the fans still vividly remember for the visuals of her crying after winning the gold.

It all started when Italian Angela Carini broke down in the ring, and soon some fans and celebrities questioned Khelif’s gender. Rowling, the author who penned the Harry Potter series, had chimed in and declared on the X, “They believe Khelif to be ‘trans’ is a joke. We object because we saw a male punching a female.” Musk, the X lynchpin, had reposted Riley Gaines‘ post where the former swimmer had argued, “Men don’t belong in women’s sports,” and to which he had responded, “Absolutely.” Soon after the 25-year-old boxer racked up the gold by defeating Yang Liu, she filed a complaint with the National Center for Combating Online Hate.

However, amid the swirling controversy and online backlash, Khelif stood firm in her identity and success, addressing the accusations head-on in the post-fight conference.

An emotional Imane Khelif declared- “I’m a woman”

The welterweight boxer, in the post-fight conference, told AP, “I am a woman like any woman. I was born a woman, and I have lived as a woman. But there are enemies to success, and they can’t digest my success.”

Notably, the IBA disqualified Khelif from last year’s World Championship after the organization claimed that she didn’t meet the eligibility criteria. Fans and organizations have hotly debated the credibility of such a test since. However, will the lawsuit put a stop to such controversies in the future?