French athletes have been prohibited from wearing the hijab while competing in the Paris Olympics. Competitors representing France must adhere to secular laws that prevent them from wearing the Islamic headscarf, similar to restrictions placed on state employees and students regarding religious symbols and clothing in public institutions. This rule has now been applied to France’s Olympic athletes on the basis that they are engaged in a ‘public service mission’, according to the government.
Egyptian fencer Yara El-Sharkawy, who has been competing in a hijab, remarked: ‘The entire world is now advocating for freedom of choice and encouraging everyone to express themselves. When I saw this, I questioned why this specifically applies to the hijab?’ Former French competitor and Algerian fencer Saoussen Boudiaf stated: ‘Before being hijab-wearing women, we are human beings with emotions and feelings. I find it unfair that we should feel excluded for what I consider to be trivial reasons.’
