TIARET, Algeria: Huge crowds have welcomed home controversial Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif to her native region of Tiaret southwest of Algiers after her triumphant return from Paris, an AFP correspondent said.
Thousands of people turned out late Friday to greet Algeria’s gold-medallist, who was the center of a gender controversy at the Olympics on her way to the women’s 66kg title.
Asked about a complaint that Khelif, 25, had filed with the Paris public prosecutor’s office for online harassment, the boxer declined to elaborate.
“This is a day for celebration,” she said. “I will address that question at the appropriate time.”
According to US magazine Variety, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and Harry Potter author JK Rowling have been named in the complaint.
Former US president Donald Trump, the Republican party’s nominee in the 2024 presidential race, would also be part of the investigation, Variety said, citing Khelif’s lawyer.
The boxer’s coach, Mohamed Chaoua, said on Friday that Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune had taken a personal interest in Khelif’s case.
He said Tebboune “has said we will not give up on our rights.”
However, he too underlined that Khelif’s return home was “a day and a time for joy” and that legal issues would have to be addressed in their own context.
Khelif won the women’s 66kg final against China’s Yang Liu in a unanimous points decision, having been the focus of intense scrutiny in Paris during the Olympics.
Together with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who won the 57kg women’s final, Khelif was disqualified from last year’s world championships after they failed gender eligibility testing.
However they were cleared to compete in Paris, setting the stage for one of the biggest controversies of the Olympics.
Residents of Tiaret, a city of around 200,000 people 340 kilometers (210 miles) southwest of the capital, gave her a rousing welcome when she appeared with relatives aboard an open-top bus escorted by police.
“I was given a warm welcome today. Every Algerian has the right to rejoice and enjoy themselves,” she said.
“Even the president is a fan of Imane Khelif, which proves that the state and the people are backers of sport,” she added.
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Algerian city welcomes home gold-winner Khelif
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Algerian city welcomes home gold-winner Khelif
- Thousands of people turned out late Friday to greet Algeria’s gold-medallist
- Asked about a complaint that Khelif, 25, had filed with the Paris public prosecutor’s office for online harassment, the boxer declined to elaborate
Campaigners demand action after 4 Premier League players racially abused on ‘appalling weekend’
- Anti-discrimination campaigners have bemoaned an “appalling weekend” in the Premier League after four players were targeted with racial abuse on their social media accounts following games
- It said “this has been an appalling weekend after four players called out the racist abuse they’ve received on social media. But the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly”
LONDON: Anti-discrimination campaigners bemoaned an “appalling weekend” in the Premier League after four players were targeted with racial abuse on their social media accounts following games.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri shared images of racist messages they were sent privately over Instagram following their teams’ match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday that finished 1-1.
Wolverhampton striker Tolu Arokodare showed racially aggravated messages he received on Instagram after a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday, during which he had a penalty saved.
Sunderland said its winger, Romaine Mundle, was also subjected to “vile online racist abuse” after his substitute appearance in a 3-1 home loss to Fulham.
Kick It Out, a British-based anti-discrimination charity, repeated its calls for platforms to do more to address the problem.
“This has been an appalling weekend after four players called out the racist abuse they’ve received on social media. But the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly,” the organization said.
“The message from them is loud and clear: action must follow. Players cannot be expected to tolerate this behavior, and nor should anyone else.”
The Premier League also condemned the abuse of the players.
“There are serious consequences for anybody found guilty of discrimination and we will offer our full support with their investigations,” the competition said. “Football is for everyone — there is no room for racism.”
The 22-year-old Mundle has since deleted his Instagram account, the Sunderland Echo newspaper reported.
The incidents came days after UEFA began an investigation into claims by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior that he was racially abused on the field by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League game in Lisbon.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana and Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri shared images of racist messages they were sent privately over Instagram following their teams’ match at Stamford Bridge on Saturday that finished 1-1.
Wolverhampton striker Tolu Arokodare showed racially aggravated messages he received on Instagram after a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Sunday, during which he had a penalty saved.
Sunderland said its winger, Romaine Mundle, was also subjected to “vile online racist abuse” after his substitute appearance in a 3-1 home loss to Fulham.
Kick It Out, a British-based anti-discrimination charity, repeated its calls for platforms to do more to address the problem.
“This has been an appalling weekend after four players called out the racist abuse they’ve received on social media. But the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly,” the organization said.
“The message from them is loud and clear: action must follow. Players cannot be expected to tolerate this behavior, and nor should anyone else.”
The Premier League also condemned the abuse of the players.
“There are serious consequences for anybody found guilty of discrimination and we will offer our full support with their investigations,” the competition said. “Football is for everyone — there is no room for racism.”
The 22-year-old Mundle has since deleted his Instagram account, the Sunderland Echo newspaper reported.
The incidents came days after UEFA began an investigation into claims by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior that he was racially abused on the field by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League game in Lisbon.
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