SHAFAQNA- The International Olympic Committee has announced that Paris Olympics participants are free to wear Hijabs at athletes’ village.
Although the IOC on Friday (29 Sep. 2023) removed Hijab restrictions in the athletes’ village, French athletes are still subject to the rules of their sports federation and are not allowed to wear Hijabs during the games.
Spokesperson for the Olympic body said it was in contact with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to better understand the situation with the French athletes.
“For the Olympic Village, the IOC rules apply,” an IOC spokesperson said to Reuters news agency. “There are no restrictions on wearing the Hijab or any other religious or cultural attire.”
The Olympic Village becomes home to most of the 10,000 athletes who attend Olympic Games, where they share common spaces such as dining halls and recreational facilities.
On Sunday, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera announced that the country’s athletes would be barred from wearing Hijabs during the Paris Games to respect principles of secularism.
Muslim associations and human rights groups have alleged that France has chipped away at democratic protections and left Muslims vulnerable to abuse with such laws.
The United Nations human rights office also critic of French decision to bar its athletes from wearing Hijabs.