- July 26, 2024
- [International Secretariat Announcement News]
- Country/Region: France
- Topic: Freedom of Expression
The ban on French female athletes wearing hijabs at the Paris Olympics violates international human rights law and exposes the discriminatory hypocrisy of French authorities and the Olympic Committee’s weakness.
The ban on the sports hijab for national athletes fundamentally overturns France’s claim that the Paris Games will be the first gender-equal Olympics, revealing the racism and gender discrimination ingrained in the country’s sports culture.
Discriminatory regulations restricting women’s clothing infringe on the human rights of Muslim women and serve as significant barriers to participating in sports. They also undermine efforts to make sports more inclusive and accessible.
The hijab ban violates the obligations set forth in international human rights treaties and the commitments and values defined in the international Olympic Committee’s (IOC) framework for human rights. However, despite repeated requests, the IOC has refused to urge French sports authorities to withdraw the ban on hijab wearing at the Olympics. Moreover, human rights organizations and athlete groups, including Amnesty, sent a joint letter to the IOC demanding action, but the response was that “this hijab ban is beyond the IOC’s jurisdiction, and the interpretation of freedom of religion varies by country.”
The ban on sports hijabs contradicts the dress codes of organizations such as FIFA (International Football Federation), FIBA (International Basketball Federation), and FIVB (International Volleyball Federation). When Amnesty investigated the regulations of 38 European countries, they found that only France explicitly prohibits religious head coverings in domestic laws or specific sports regulations.
In France, the ban on religious head coverings for Muslim women extends beyond the Olympics and Paralympics. In sports like soccer, basketball, and volleyball, wearing hijabs is prohibited for both professional and amateur athletes. As a result, many Muslim women are excluded from competition, depriving them of necessary training and competitive opportunities to reach Olympic levels.
Religious exclusion in sports leads to humiliation, trauma, and fear, causing many women to give up the sports they love or seek opportunities to compete in other countries. Being barred from leisure, recreation, or participating as professional athletes can have serious consequences not only for mental and physical health but for overall quality of life.
International law states that state neutrality and secularism do not justify restrictions on freedom of expression and religious freedom. Nevertheless, the French government has wielded these principles for several years to justify laws and policies that unfairly impact Muslim women. This is part of over 20 years of harmful legislation and regulations concerning the clothing of Muslim women, fueled by prejudice, racism, and gender-based Islamophobia.
The co-representative of the soccer group “Hijabous” told Amnesty, “We are fighting this not as a political or religious issue but as a human rights issue concerning participation in sports.”
Politicians should not dictate women’s clothing, and women should not be forced to choose between sports and their faith, beliefs, or cultural identity.
It’s never too late. The French government and sports federations, along with the IOC, should abolish the ban on hijab wearing for the summer Olympics and all sports.
Amnesty International News
July 16, 2024