Hijab ban at Paris 2024 deemed ‘racist gender discrimination’
Amnesty International has called out the International Olympic Committee this week publishing a new report detailing the ‘devastating impact’ that hijab bans are having on Muslim women and girls at all levels of French sport.
The 32-page report titled Violations of Muslim women’s and girls’ human rights through hijab bans in sports in France denounces the ban calling it ‘racist gender discrimination’ while accusing the International Olympic Committee of ‘craven weakness’ and the French authorities of “discriminatory hypocrisy”.
According to the report, of the 38 European countries examined, France is the only country to place a ban on religious headwear in sports affecting all French female athletes including those in football, basketball, and volleyball.
Activists have consistently slammed the French hijab ban calling it discriminatory while in late 2023, the United Nations reiterated its opposition to the ban and the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation called on the French Government to reconsider.
The extensive report declared that the ban on sports headgear contradicts the clothing rules of international sports bodies such as the International Football Federation (FIFA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
📢Hijab bans in 🇫🇷French sport expose discriminatory double standards ahead of #Paris2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
IOC (@Olympics) response to joint letter calling on lifting of hijab ban is dismissive and inadequate, says @amnesty in new report⤵️https://t.co/s3oVVdiviu
pic.twitter.com/XUhll88vnG— Sport & Rights Alliance (@Sport_Rights) July 16, 2024
French basketball player Helene Ba told Amnesty that the ban is “a shameful moment for France” calling it “a clear violation of the Olympic charter, values and provisions, and an infringement on our fundamental rights and freedoms.” The ban has meant that she has been prohibited from competing in basketball in France since October 2023.
The ‘craven weakness’ that Amnesty International mentions refers to the International Olympic Committee’s failure to take action and call on sporting authorities in France to overturn the ban at the Olympics and at all levels of sports, despite repeated demands.
The committee claimed that it was outside their jurisdiction stating that “freedom of religion is interpreted in many different ways by different states.”
The values of Olympism are excellence, respect and friendship. The host country above all should honour these. But #France is the only country in Europe that specifically bans sport hijabs #ParisOlympics2024
#Paris2024
👇https://t.co/u0o2sNFtBe
pic.twitter.com/mjqsXlebtF— Anna Blus (@AnnaMBlus) July 16, 2024
Amnesty International’s Women’s Rights Researcher in Europe, Anna Błuś, criticised the ban for making a mockery of claims that Paris 2024 is the first Gender Equal Olympics and laying bare” the racist gender discrimination that underpins access to sport in France”.
“No policymaker should dictate what a woman can or cannot wear and no woman should be forced to choose between the sport she loves and her faith, cultural identity, or beliefs,” she said.