24/11/2024
Australia magazine DNA and the US based newswire Queerty both report that Matthew Mitcham, the Australian diver who made history as the first out athlete to win Olympic gold in 2008, has had enough of transphobes using the Olympics as a platform to spew hate. Marvin Valez, writing at the DNA web page says "The IOC issued a strong statement affirming Khelif’s right to compete as a woman, citing her previous competitions in the women’s category, including the 2020 Games. “We have seen in reports misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” the IOC said....Mitcham also responded to the hate-mongers, saying, “Apparently, we live in a world now where transphobic bullying has gotten so bad, that it now extends to women who people deem to be too strong and muscly, at the Olympics of all places.” He added, “Like the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has been bullied so mercilessly, that it’s forced her own father to publicly release her birth certificate to prove that she was assigned female at birth. That’s shocking. Ya’ll need Jesus, honestly.” Khelif herself, who has been standing up to the bullies, addressed the harassment she’s received after clinching an Olympic medal. “I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” Khelif told SNTV. “It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
