In a stunning turn of events, Elon Musk has publicly declared that he will withdraw all financial and technological support from the Olympic Medalist Boost (OMB) initiative unless Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is stripped of her recent medal and denied a $25 million bonus.
Musk’s statement, which came via a post on X (formerly Twitter), sent shockwaves across the global sports and tech communities. “I will not support a system that rewards individuals under questionable circumstances,” Musk wrote, without elaborating on what he meant by “questionable.”
Khelif, who recently made headlines by securing a major international boxing medal and becoming a symbol of perseverance and excellence, responded in a press conference: “I earned my victory in the ring. I have no idea what Elon Musk’s problem is, but I will not let his opinion diminish my fight.”
Legal trouble is also brewing. Sources close to the situation confirm that Khelif has filed a defamation lawsuit against Musk and author J.K. Rowling, who allegedly backed Musk’s controversial stance in a private OMB board email leaked to the press.
The OMB program, a global initiative supported by top billionaires to fund rising sports stars from developing nations, now finds itself in crisis. With Musk’s exit, a major stream of funding and technological aid—including performance-enhancing analytics powered by AI—could vanish.
Critics are calling Musk’s actions “ego-driven” and “unethical,” while supporters say he’s simply demanding transparency and fairness in sports recognition and rewards. J.K. Rowling has not publicly commented.
Whether this is a principled stand or a personal vendetta remains unclear, but one thing is certain: the intersection of tech, sports, and power just got a lot more volatile.
