France has banned women’s hijabs at the Paris Olympics for its athletes, leading to a strong condemnation by the human rights organization Amnesty International.
“The ban on French female athletes wearing the hijab at the Olympic Games violated international human rights law and also exposed the weakness of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”
France was the first country to enact laws against the fundamental rights of female athletes internationally. The denial of the religious rights of female athletes at the Olympics shows the hypocrisy of the French authorities.
Anna Bliss, an international researcher on women’s rights in Europe, said, “Banning the hijab would have a devastating effect on Muslim women and girls at all levels of French sports. Banning French athletes from competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games with the hijab also makes a mockery of claims that Paris 2024 is the first gender-equal Olympics.”
The French Senate passed a law banning the hijab in sporting events, under which religious signs or symbols are prohibited in competitions organized by sports federations.
