Global Courant
French athletes are still banned from wearing headscarves because their sports federation restricts the hijab during the games.
The International Olympic Committee has ruled that participants in the 2024 Paris Olympics will be free to wear a headscarf known as a hijab in the athletes’ village, just days after France’s Sports Minister banned it for the athletes of the host country.
Although the IOC lifted hijab restrictions in the athletes’ village on Friday, French athletes are still subject to the rules of their sports federation and are not allowed to wear a hijab during the games.
A spokesperson for the Olympic organization said it is in contact with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to better understand the situation with the French athletes.
“The IOC rules apply to the Olympic Village,” an IOC spokesperson told Reuters. “There are no restrictions on wearing the hijab or other religious or cultural clothing.”
The Olympic Village will be home to most of the 10,000 athletes attending the Olympic Games, where they will share common areas such as dining halls and recreational facilities.
The sports competitions at the Olympic Games are organized and controlled by the individual international sports federations.
On Sunday, France’s Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced that the country’s athletes will not be allowed to wear hijabs during the Paris Games, out of respect for the principles of secularism.
She told France 3 Television that the government was opposed to the display of religious symbols at sporting events to ensure “absolute neutrality in public services”.
Strict secularism
France has protected its strict form of secularism with laws that crack down on the Muslim community.
In August, France announced it would ban the abaya in schools. Dozens of girls were also sent home for wearing it to school.
In January last year, French senators voted in favor of a ban on headscarves in sports competitions and in July this year, a top French court upheld a ban on headscarves during football competitions.
French footballers who wear headscarves are fighting for inclusivity on the pitch through a collective called “Les Hijabeuses”.
Despite being home to one of the largest Muslim minorities in Europe, France is the only country on the continent to ban athletes who wear a hijab from most domestic sporting competitions.
France, home to one of Europe’s largest Muslim minorities, has come under fire from Muslim associations and human rights groups who say such laws have eroded democratic protections and left Muslims vulnerable to abuse.
Muslim associations and human rights groups have claimed that France, home to one of Europe’s largest Muslim minorities, has eroded democratic protections and left Muslims vulnerable to abuse with such laws.
The United Nations human rights office also criticized France’s decision to ban its athletes from wearing headscarves.
“No one should dictate to a woman what she should or should not wear,” Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the U.N. rights office, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.
In 2016, Ibtihaj Muhammad made history by becoming the first American team member to compete in the Olympics while wearing a hijab.
