Fake Social Media Posts Falsely Attribute Legal Threats to Algerian Boxer
Impersonator account on X platform spreads misinformation about Imane Khelif's intentions to sue critics. Boxer actually calls for end to athlete bullying amid DSD controversy.
Recent social media posts claiming Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, intended to sue critics including Elon Musk and Fox News, have been revealed as fabrications from an impersonator account. The false posts emerged amidst ongoing debates about athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) competing in women's sports.
The controversy surrounding Khelif intensified on August 1, 2024, when her Italian opponent, Angela Carini, withdrew from their match less than a minute into the contest. This incident sparked discussions about the participation of athletes with DSD in women's competitions.
Screenshots circulating online showed posts from a now-suspended account @Imane__Khelif, which falsely claimed to represent the boxer. One post stated:
"I intend to conduct campaigns of prosecution, for all those who tried to offend me, including @elonmusk, @FoxNews and others. I won't spare anyone #ImaneKhelif."
However, Khelif's official X account, @ImaneKhelif, as confirmed by her Olympics website profile, did not make these statements. The impersonator account has since been suspended for violating X's rules.
In 2023, Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting were disqualified from the World Championships organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for failing gender eligibility tests. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has stripped the IBA of its status as boxing's governing body, criticized this decision as arbitrary.
Khelif addressed the situation in an August 4, 2024 interview with SNTV, urging people to refrain from bullying athletes. She emphasized, "It can kill people's thoughts, spirit, and mind. And it can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying."
This incident highlights the growing problem of social media impersonation, with Twitter reporting 2.5 million impersonation attempts in 2021. It also underscores the complex issues surrounding DSD in sports, a topic that has gained prominence since women's boxing was first included in the Olympics in 2012.
The Algerian Olympic Committee, founded in 1963, has not yet commented on the situation. As fact-checking practices continue to evolve since their emergence in the early 2000s, this case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information sources in the digital age.
