Sports and human rights bodies are urging International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to intervene and reverse the ban imposed on French athletes wearing the hijab at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, citing violations of the Olympic Charter and discrimination against Muslim athletes.
Sports and human rights organizations have called on International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to intervene in overturning a ban on French athletes wearing the hijab at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The IOC announced in September that athletes could wear the hijab in the athletes’ village, but French Sports Minister Amelie Oudéa-Castéra barred French athletes from wearing it, citing the country’s secular principles.
The ban has drawn criticism from groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, who argue it violates the Olympic Charter and discriminates against Muslim athletes. These organizations point to the exclusionary impact on French Muslim women, who are already barred from wearing headscarves in state-run schools since 2004 and from sports competitions following a 2022 Senate vote.
Helene Ba, a French basketball player, and Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, a former NCAA player, have both spoken out against the ban, emphasizing the discrimination and infringement on fundamental rights and freedoms. Despite gaining traction internationally, the ban remains supported by some within France.
The issue of secularism, or laïcité, underpins these regulations, with French authorities maintaining the need for absolute neutrality in public services, including the French Olympic team.
Sports and human rights bodies have urged Bach to leverage his influence to advocate for the ban’s reversal, aiming to foster an inclusive environment for all athletes at the upcoming Games.
