The Algerian boxer won an Olympic title in Paris, but it wasn’t without controversy.

Khelif’s fight against Italy’s Angela Carini grabbed headlines since the duo only exchanged a few blows before the Italian fighter withdrew from the fight.

An undefined gender eligibility test prevented Khelif from competing in the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.

The boxer’s passport clearly identifies her as a woman. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) determined her eligibility to compete in the Olympics.

The dispute subjected Khelif to horrific trolling, prompting her to launch a lawsuit against a small group of individuals accused of ‘acts of extreme cyber harassment’.

While no defendants have been identified, JK Rowling and Elon Musk have been referenced.

When this comes to light, the boxer breaks her silence.

Khelif acknowledged in an interview with El Birad that all the talk about her gender at the Olympics “hurt a lot.”

“Immediately after, there was a huge uproar from big politicians around the world, athletes around the world, and even artists and stars—Elon Musk, Trump—this thing… that affected me,” she explained to the Algerian-based news outlet.

“I’m not lying to you; it affected me. It had a significant impact on me and caused me much pain. I can’t tell you how much fear I had.”

She continued, “The circumstance was quite frightening. Thank God, Imane Khelif was well-known across Algeria and the Arab world for her femininity, fortitude, and drive.

“To be honest, I don’t enjoy getting involved in sports politics, but others do.” Sports and politics are distinct. “These politicians who are oppressing me don’t have the right to say that I’m transgender.”

During the Olympics, Rowling took to Twitter to declare Khelif a man.

The Harry Potter author also accused the Olympian of ‘enjoying Carini’s agony’ and ‘shattering’ her athletic dreams.

Meanwhile, Musk retweeted a message from American swimmer Riley Gaines, who again misgenders Khelif and claims she does not ‘belong in women’s sports’.

The Twitter user wrote, “Absolutely.”

If Rowling and Musk lose their lawsuit against the boxer, they may face incarceration.