Amnesty International report condemns France's hijab ban for its Olympic athletes
The Olympic rings are mounted on the Eiffel Tower on June 7. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
In the lead up to the Olympics and Paralympics Summer Games of 2024 in Paris, Amnesty International published a damning report on the host country’s decision to bar its athletes from wearing a hijab while competing during the games.
The report, released July 16, aims to draw international attention to what it considers violations of Muslim women’s and girls’ human rights. It also casts a critical eye on France’s “discriminatory policies against Muslim women” in sports and society, promulgated in the name of “laïcité,” or secularism, which demands religious neutrality in public spaces.
French Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra announced in September 2023 that while female athletes from other countries could cover their heads, France would bar its delegation from wearing headscarves during the competition. The announcement provoked an uproar among human rights organizations.
