Viral image of boxer Imane Khelif shirtless is AI-generated

What is the claim?

An image on social media has gone viral, with posters claiming it shows Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif. 

A user on X (formerly Twitter) named Arun Pudur, a social media user known for spreading misinformation, shared the image in a post (archived here) with the caption, "This is the Aligerian Boxer #ImaneKhelif who won Gold in @Olympics. He thanked Allah for his victory over a woman. Sorry Angela Carini, the world failed you!" 

A similar claim on X (archived here) with the image garnered more than 1,000 shares and was liked more than 4,000 times. Similar claims are archived here and here. 

Screenshots of the fake image purporting to show boxer Imane Khelif. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

The claim emerged over a month after Imane Khelif faced immense criticism after winning at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Khelif defeated Italy's Angela Carini in a preliminary match on August 1. Prominent personalities like author J.K. Rowling and X owner and billionaire Elon Musk amplified claims that she was a "biological male" or a "transgender woman" fighting in the women's category. Multiple fact-checking organizations, including Logically Facts, have debunked claims. 

However, the viral image is not real. It was generated using artificial intelligence software.

What we found 

A close look at the image revealed several discrepancies and irregularities in the individuals in the background of the viral photo — generally signs of AI usage.

The faces and physical features of the figures in the background seem distorted. For instance, the face and hands of the man to the right of the image are distorted. Also, the hand of the person to the left appears warped, and his facial features are blurry and unclear. A hand on the right holds a small card with gibberish on it awkwardly, not how a person would typically hold a card. 

Some discrepancies in physical features can be seen in the viral image. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

We also compared Imane Khelif's face from a photo (archived here) we found on her Instagram profile to the viral photo and noticed that her nose, face structure, skin texture, and tone do not match the figure in the viral image. The viral image also appears airbrushed, typically seen in AI images. These irregularities show the image is not genuine and has been digitally altered.

Comparison of  Khelif's face taken from her Instagram profile (right) with the viral image (left). (Source: ImaneKhelif/X/Modified by Logically Facts).

A reverse image search led us to a post (archived here) on X, uploaded on August 24, 2024, by an account named 'MidJourney Prompts.' The profile bio reads, "All images posted below are created with AI." 

The post contained three images, one showing a bare-chested Khelif and one picture with a sign that said, "I AM A MAN." The caption said, "Imane Khelif (Gold Medalist)" and was accompanied by the hashtags: #midjourneyV6 #PromptShare #AIArtwork #AIart #midjourneyart #MidjourneyAI #midjourneyprompt #FluxAI. MidJourney and Flux AI are Artificial Intelligence (AI)-image-generating software. The profile's bio and hashtags indicate that the image has been artificially generated and is not authentic. 

Screenshots of the images and caption of X user 'MidJourney Prompts.' (Source: X)

The profile has also posted seemingly AI-generated images with similar hashtags of figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. We have contacted this user and will update the story upon receiving a response.

What do AI detection tools say?

Hive Moderation identified a 96.3 percent likelihood that the image contained AI-generated or deepfake content, while Illuminarty AI detected a 66.3 percent chance of it being AI-generated. 

Logically Facts also uses a deepfake detection tool called Itisaar, developed by a team of experts led by Mayank Vatsa, a professor of computer science at IIT Jodhpur. Once we receive a response, this check will be updated. 

The verdict

An AI-generated image has been shared with the false claim that it shows Algerian boxer Imane Khelif.