The French authorities faced a backlash from human rights organisations too, questioning the secularism, gender equality, and religious freedoms in sports of the country
PARIS – In a controversial move, France has decided to prohibit its Muslim female athletes from wearing a hijab during the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The move has sparked huge controversy, with critics alleging French authorities of being discriminative and racist.
In recent years, the hijab (headscarf worn by Muslim women) has become a focal point of contention in France.
Addressing the issue, French Olympic sprinter Sounkamba Sylla took to social media on July 25, mentioning she would not be allowed to participate in the opening ceremony because of her hijab, a report published in Siasat Daily stated.
Sylla wrote on her private Instagram, “You are selected for the Olympics, organized in your country, but you can’t participate in the opening ceremony because you wear a headscarf,” according to The Associated Press (AP) reports.
According to the official rules of France, the athletes, while competing for the country, are considered civil servants and must adhere to the principles of laïcité (secularism).
Following the backlash, from human rights organisations who questioned French authorities about secularism, gender equality, and religious freedoms in sports, its sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra later said that the authorities have found a compromise, Sylla would be allowed to participate in the opening ceremony and the Games by covering her hair in a way that did not appear religious.
Ban on wearing hijab remains a contentious issue that encapsulates the intersection of sports, religion, and state policies in France. French sports have applied at all levels, including amateur and youth levels, even outside the Olympics, according to Amnesty International reports.
“There isn’t a national law or policy banning hijabs in sports, but individual sports federations have their regulations prohibiting the headscarf. Football (soccer), basketball and volleyball are some of the team sports banning them, Anna Blus, a women’s rights and gender justice researcher at Amnesty International said.