The Paris Olympics Hijab Ban Has Recently Caught the Attention of the Media: Here’s Why
We are officially one week away from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games! This year's Games will be hosted in Paris, and getting there has turned into quite a hassle. First, there were concerns over the athletes swimming in the Seine River. Then, the Games announced that the Olympic Village would not have any air conditioning, and most recently, Paris announced that it wouldn’t let the athletes wear Hijabs when they compete. For more on this and how various athletes reacted, keep reading.
All about the Paris Olympics Hijab ban
Originally announced in September 2023, this Paris hijab ban isn’t a new announcement, though it is gaining attention ahead of the imminent Games. The country initially banned any sort of religious clothing and symbols in schools back in 2004. Then, in 2010, the French Parliament banned full-face veils in public spaces, which the country of France followed up by doing the same thing in 2011. Lastly, in 2022, the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) banned religious or political symbols during games.
The hijab ban has recently caught the media's attention due to a report by the human rights organization Amnesty International.
The report seemingly called out the element in the Olympic Charter that reads, “The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognized human rights within the remit of the Olympic Movement.”
The non-profit then alleged that by banning hijabs, they are discriminating against Muslim women.
Amnesty International also interviewed several athletes to hear their thoughts on the ban. One, who they refer to as “Angel” for safety reasons, told the company, “They speak about inclusion, but they don’t care, they don't include our people.”
You can read the full Amnesty International report here.
Were women in the past able to wear hijabs in the Olympics?
Sean M. Haffey / Staff/Getty
Up until the year 1996, athletes wearing hijabs were banned from the Games. And even after that ban was lifted, the first hijab wasn’t worn in competition until Rio 2016, when American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad wore one during a competition.
“For the United States, I’ve changed the narrative for the Muslim community in the way that we’ve been perceived,” the gold medalist told The New York Times in 2018. “And if you take that a step further and look at the way Muslim women see themselves, these young girls who haven’t had anyone at this level of sport do that on the world stage — compete at the highest level of sport. To do that is changing the way Muslim women think about themselves and perceive themselves.”
The athlete also voiced her disgust for the hijab ban in 2022, writing on Instagram, “The French Senate has voted to ban hijabs in sports competitions, echoing an already longstanding hijab ban by the French football federation. We’re watching in real time the French government violate the rights of its Muslim citizens.”
She continued, writing that “religious freedom” in any capacity is a “human right” that must be cherished and protected.
“We must stand together and vehemently denounce discrimination in all of its forms. We will not be silent as discriminatory governments revoke the freedoms of our sisters,” the vocal athlete concluded. “Every woman should have the choice to wear what she wants and the opportunity to play sports, regardless of her faith.”
Muhammad will not compete at the 2024 Olympic Games but remains very active on her social media.
The history of the Hijab
The hijab is a religious symbol mainly worn by Muslim women. It stems from the Prophet Muhammad, who, according to the Qur'an, made his wives wear veils in public to protect them and show off their wealth. The trend caught on, and slowly, more wealthy women began to wear them. Nowadays, the hijab is more seen as a religious symbol and less of a status symbol and can be seen worldwide.
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