Is Olympic boxer Imane Khelif on the cover of Vogue Algeria?

Claim:

Photos shared online in August 2024 showed three authentic covers of Vogue Algeria magazine featuring Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif.

Judgement:

In August 2024, three photos were shared online showing Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif wearing traditional Algerian outfits. These photos appeared on three different covers of Algerian Vogue magazine.

Two of the magazine’s covers carried the caption: “The first Algerian, Arab and African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.”

Some social media users shared the images, seemingly believing the covers were authentic. One X-post said: “What an incredible and powerful photo of Imane Khelif.”

(X user @InTheRingWithC1)

(X user @SylnaZhinka)

(Reddit)

However, the images were not real. Vogue does not have a brand in Algeria, nor did Khelif pose for such images. They appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI) software and could be traced back to a digital creator on Instagram. Therefore, we have rated this claim and the photos as “fake.”

Searching through the various magazine brands of Vogue’s parent company, Condé Nast, it turns out that Vogue Algeria does not exist. The company does have a Vogue Arabia magazine, which is distributed in several countries in the Middle East, and has an Arabic and English-language website.

Google’s reverse image search tool found no evidence of any credible media outlet publishing such images, nor that Khelif herself ever posed for them. The images were also not published on her verified Instagram account.

Two of the images were attributed to “Cheikh Boumsersseb,” and all three appeared on an Instagram account under that name. The account’s profile described its owner as a “Visual/Art Director” and referred to Khelif as a “Queen.”

While the first two photos resembled Khelif, the last of the three did not resemble her at all.

True Media’s AI detection generator found substantial evidence that the posts were AI-generated or manipulated.

Khelif was at the center of a controversy during the 2024 Paris Olympics, when several anti-transgender activists and prominent figures, including author JK Rowling, wrongly accused her of being transgender or male.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended her participation in the women’s boxing, saying she met the eligibility requirements to compete in Paris. Khelif eventually won gold in the 66 kg category.

Sources