What’s Happening
During the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France banned its athletes from wearing religious clothing while competing—including prohibiting Muslim women from wearing hijabs (Islamic headscarves).
The ruling falls under the concept of laïcité, or secularism, which France implements for all athletes at every level of sport, from youth and amateur to Olympic competitions.
Response to Hijab Ban
In a recent report, global human rights organization Amnesty International called the hijab ban in French sports “a discriminatory double standard” that “breaches international human rights laws.”
Amnesty International, along with several organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the Sports & Rights Alliance, sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asking for the ban to be overturned and outlining the harm it causes to Muslim athletes.
The IOC reportedly responded to the letter, claiming that France’s prohibition on sports hijabs was “outside the remit of the Olympic movement. The IOC also did not acknowledge any rights violated by the ban.
Harm to Muslim Athletes
Bans on head coverings and other types of religious clothing in sports disproportionately harm Muslim athletes. These restrictions not only exclude athletes from participating but can also subject them to humiliation when decisions about their eligibility to compete are made in front of an audience.
According to Amnesty International, France’s hijab ban violates Muslim women’s freedom of expression, religion, and access to health. It also infringes on their freedom to make decisions about their own lives and bodies.
Athletes Speak Out
While France’s ban only applies to French athletes, many Olympic athletes from other countries who have been allowed to compete while wearing hijabs have spoken out, including Egyptian beach volleyball players Doaa Elghobashy and Marwa Abdelhady.
When asked about her decision to wear hijab while competing, Elghobashy stated, “I don’t tell you to wear a hijab and you don’t tell me to wear a bikini. No one can tell me how to dress. Everyone should be allowed to do what they want.”
