Imane Khalif, an Algerian boxer, has filed a lawsuit against former U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing him of cyber harassment and misuse of her image in a promotional video for his election campaign.
The legal action follows the controversial inclusion of Khalif in the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Khalif’s legal team confirmed that she had taken the step of filing the complaint after her image was used in a campaign video that was critical of the Biden administration’s policies.
Trump, in the video, targeted what he claims is an economic and social collapse under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The video, which critiques several of Biden’s policies, specifically highlights the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports, with Khalif’s image featured as an example.
In the footage, Trump criticized Khalif’s participation in women’s boxing, referring to it as part of a broader trend he believes to be harmful to the integrity of female sports.
“It was clear she was competing against an Italian athlete, and she landed a punch I’ve never seen before,” Trump remarked, referencing her performance at the Paris Olympics, where she gained significant attention.
Khalif’s legal representative has since confirmed that the boxer is pursuing legal action against Trump for cyber harassment.
The lawyer has stated that a formal complaint was lodged with the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, specifically with the Centre for Combating Online Hatred, following a series of attacks on Khalif’s gender identity and public scrutiny of her participation in the sport.
Media outlets and political figures, including Trump, have been accused of targeting Khalif with offensive remarks, amplifying the harassment she has faced.
The case has ignited debates about the intersection of politics, gender identity, and sports, further complicating the already contentious issue of transgender athletes’ rights to compete in gender-specific categories.
