Algerian Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, who found herself at the heart of a gender controversy during the Paris Olympics, was cheered by a huge crowd in Tiaret on her return to her native region.
Thousands of people thronged the streets of this city of around 200,000 inhabitants, 340 km southwest of Algiers, on Friday evening to greet her after her victory at the Paris Olympic Games, according to an AFP correspondent.
Asked about the complaint she filed for cyberbullying, Imane Khelif did not want to answer. “Today is a day of celebration. I will address this issue at the appropriate time,” she explained.
But his coach, Mohamed Chaoua, said that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was personally following the matter.
The head of state “said that we will not give up our rights,” said the coach, referring to the complaint filed with the Paris prosecutor’s office for cyberbullying targeting Elon Musk, JK Rowling and Donald Trump. However, he stressed that Imane’s return was “one day […] of joy” and that legal issues should be addressed in the appropriate forums.
An investigation has been opened in France following the complaint for aggravated cyber-harassment filed by Imane Khelif, victim of a hate campaign on social networks at the end of her first fight against the Italian Angela Carini, suggesting that she was “a man fighting women”.
According to his lawyer Nabil Boudi, the criminal investigation led by a specialized unit of the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office aims to determine “who initiated this misogynistic, racist and sexist campaign” and “will also have to focus on those who fueled this digital lynching.”
Imane Khelif, 25, won the -66 kg final on August 9 at the Paris Olympics. At the Tokyo Games in the summer of 2021, her participation had not sparked any controversy.
“Warm welcome”
“I am a strong woman with special powers. From the ring, I sent a message to those who were against me,” the boxer said after her victory. “I have been the subject of attacks and a fierce campaign, and this is the most beautiful response I can give. The response has always been in the ring,” she added.
Massed since the morning around the headquarters of the wilaya (prefecture) of Tiaret, a semi-arid rural region, the supporters exploded with joy at the appearance, at nightfall, of the Olympic champion who paraded on a double-decker bus, escorted by gendarmerie vehicles.
To the cries of “Imane Khelif” and the slogan “one, two, three, viva l’Algérie”, the supporters gave their heroine a standing ovation, surrounded in particular by members of her family.
“It is a warm welcome that I received today. All Algerians have the right to rejoice and enjoy,” said the 25-year-old.
“Even the President of the Republic is actually Imane Khelif’s first supporter, which shows that the State and the people are all behind sport. I am convinced that sport is a message for the people,” added the champion.