Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, has recently faced a wave of online attacks and misinformation. Her Italian opponent, Angela Carini, quit their bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics just seconds into the second round, leading to a flood of offensive remarks and false accusations about Khelif’s gender.
Carini, who later apologized, said she had “never been hit so hard” and broke down in the ring, reportedly exclaiming, “it’s not right.” This incident triggered a series of abusive comments targeting Khelif’s identity.
Hungarian boxer Anna Luca Hamori, Khelif’s next opponent, initially stated she was “not scared” of the fight but further spread misinformation. “I don’t care about the press story and social media. If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win,” Hamori remarked. She then posted disparaging images on Instagram, depicting Khelif as a devil-like monster and spreading transphobic rhetoric. Although …