On September 13, Georgian and Russian-speaking Facebook users shared a photo of 2024 Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif, with captions stating, “He is the Olympic champion in women’s boxing.” The photo shows a man resembling Khelif. A Russian-language account even claimed that the Olympic champion is a man who has been stripped of his medals and prizes and received a lifetime disqualification.
The photo disseminated to “prove” Imane Khelif’s transgender identity was generated by artificial intelligence (AI). It was originally posted by a social media account on X (formerly Twitter). The image also shows visible flaws, indicating that it is not real. Compared to a real photo of Khelif, the athlete’s facial features are different. Furthermore, no information has surfaced about her being stripped of her medals or other prizes.
The AI-generated image has been circulating on social networks and various websites since August 24. It was first shared by the X account “MidJourney Prompts.” MidJourney is a program that creates images using AI. The account clearly states in its description that it shares AI-generated visual content. Hashtags in the post also indicate that the photos were created by AI. Along with the photo circulating on Facebook, the X account also shared two more AI-generated images of the Olympic champion.
AI-generated photos
There are several inaccuracies visible in the photo of the boxer. For example, it is impossible to distinguish the hand and fingers of the man standing to Khelif’s right, and a similar flaw can be seen in the face of the woman to her right, whose facial features are completely unrecognizable. Additionally, the silhouette of her body in the corner of the photo is incomplete. There’s also another hand next to the athlete’s left shoulder holding a card, but the fingers appear unnatural, and the index finger is noticeably separated from the other fingers.
Evidence of AI manipulation
When comparing the AI-generated and real photos of the Olympic champion, it is clear that she has a different nose and ear shape. In reality, Khelif’s nose is lower, and her ear is thinner and closer to her head. Fact-checking platform Open also pointed out that Khelif’s legs appear less muscular in real life compared to how they are depicted in the AI-generated image.
Source: Eurosport
Source: Open
As for the claim that Imane Khelif has been stripped of her medals and prizes, this information is false. Neither Khelif nor any reputable media outlet has reported such a thing. The International Olympic Committee has not made any such announcement either.
The spread of misleading information about Imane Khelif’s gender identity and sexual orientation began after she defeated an Italian athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, ultimately becoming the Olympic champion. Shortly after, family members and the media shared childhood photos of Khelif in dresses. Following the matches, there were claims that Khelif was a man. “Myth Detector” fact-checked this claim shortly after.
AI-generated photos are frequently circulated on social media. Sometimes they are intended for satire, but they have also become sources of disinformation. “Myth Detector” has fact-checked several such images in the past.
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