Biologist Richard Dawkins says his comments on Imane Khelif caused Facebook to remove his account

British biologist and author Richard Dawkins announced on August 10 that his Facebook account had been deleted, a move he claims was due to his comments regarding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The incident has sparked a broader debate on social media about freedom of speech and censorship.

Dawkins, known for his outspoken views, took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concerns about the deletion of his Facebook account. 

He tweeted, “My entire @facebook account has been deleted, seemingly (no reason given) because I tweeted that genetically male boxers such as Imane Khalif (XY undisputed) should not fight women in Olympics. Of course my opinion is open to civilised argument. But outright censorship?”

The controversy revolves around Khelif, who has become a subject of debate following her qualification for the Olympics. 

Dawkins previously expressed his views on the matter in a tweet on July 29, where he stated, "Two men, pretending to be women, are being allowed to compete against real women in the Olympics," which was interpreted as a reference to the inclusion of transgender athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The deletion of Dawkins' Facebook account has ignited discussions about the boundaries of free speech on social media platforms, particularly when addressing sensitive issues related to gender and sports.