Alegeria’s Paris Olympics women’s boxing gold medallist Imane Khelif‘s troubles over a gender row seemed to have settled in her favour until a recent leaked medical report claimed the 25-year-old is a male.
Khelif has decided to move court over reports about the leak published in France media this week, the International Olympic Committee confirmed on Wednesday.
“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 gender row erupted during the Olympics earlier this year after Khelif’s opening-round win over Angela Carini in mere 46 seconds, when the Italian boxer abandoned the fight with a bloody nose and was in tears afterwards.
It followed comments on Khelif’s eligibility in the competition, including by celebrities like author JK Rowling.
The IOC supported Khelif and expressed “sadness” over the abuse the boxer received, citing that the Algerian participated in the women’s category at the Tokyo Olympics as well and in events sanctioned by the International Boxing Association.
Khelif also filed a complaint against the harassment from online abuse related to her gender.