<
https://theconversation.com/frances-headscarf-ban-in-the-2024-summer-olympics-reflects-a-narrow-view-of-national-identity-writes-a-scholar-of-european-studies-228678>
"The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have sparked a discussion about whether
female Muslim athletes who wear a headscarf should be allowed to compete.
In September 2023, the International Olympic Committee, upholding freedom of
religious and cultural expression for all athletes, announced that athletes
participating in the 2024 Paris Games can wear a hijab without any restriction.
French athletes, however, are bound by France’s strict separation of religion
from the state, called laïcité. French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera
said that French athletes would be barred from wearing a hijab during the Paris
games to respect this commitment to the principle of laïcité.
Human rights organizations argued that such a ban infringes upon the religious
freedoms of Muslim athletes, perpetuating discrimination and marginalization.
The United Nations human rights office stated that “no one should impose on a
woman what she needs to wear, or not wear.”
This debate highlights the conflict between laïcité and the right to express
one’s religious beliefs. As a scholar of European studies, I know about
laïcité’s impact on sports, politics and society in general. In my view,
laïcité, which historically upheld individual rights and freedoms, increasingly
denies minority rights today, as seen in the ban on French athletes wearing
hijabs at the 2024 Paris Olympics."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
