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Rabat – The debate over Algerian boxer Imane Khelif rages on, with Moroccan boxer Oumaima Belhabib now entering the fray by pursuing legal action in France.
On August 7, Belhabib filed a lawsuit alleging several instances of “cyber harassment,” “insults,” “death threats,” and “defamation,” according to a police source cited by Le Parisien.
“I am being accused of orchestrating the plot against Imane because I am her competitor, because I am Moroccan, and because I am a member of the IBA,” Oumaima Belhabib told Le Parisien.
Belhabib notably voiced her frustration to Le Parisien, claiming that she is being unjustly targeted and used as a “scapegoat” because of her Moroccan nationality and position within the IBA. She also lamented feeling “abandoned” by the concerned authorities.
The boxer further lamented being inundated with hateful and threatening messages on social media from users blaming her for the controversy surrounding Khelif.
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The controversy has further extended into the media, with Algerian outlets publishing numerous articles smearing Belhabib.
The website Awras has accused her, along with other influential Moroccans, of waging a “relentless campaign” against Khelif.
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Aljazair Alyoum suggested that the IBA’s executive board, which includes three Moroccan members, is behind the attacks on the Algerian champion.
Khelif has been at the center of a debate regarding her gender since the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Accusations have ranged from her being labeled “a man” to being described as “transgender.”
This scrutiny intensified following the withdrawal of her Italian opponent, Angela Carini, on August 1 during the -66 kg quarterfinals.
The debate was fueled further by Khelif’s exclusion from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2023, based on hormonal tests. This decision has continued to stir controversy regarding her Olympic participation.
Since August 1, Belhabib has reported receiving thousands of threatening and insulting messages daily.
She claims to have received over 200 such messages per day since the day of Khelif’s match against Carini, with some content featuring “violent” imagery including her “identity and face.”
A 27-year-old professional athlete and member of the IBA Athletes’ Committee, Belhabib is involved in the same organization that excluded both Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting a year ago due to hormonal test results indicating high testosterone levels.
The IBA’s decision has been controversial, though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not recognize these hormonal tests, leaving the door open for Olympic participation.
A campaign on social media has rallied in support of Khelif, rejecting claims that she is transgender. Her background and public boxing career support that these claims are unfounded.
