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Outrage as France Bans Athletes Wearing Headscarves at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

September 29, 2023

The UN condemned the French government’s announcement that athletes representing France would not be permitted to wear headscarves during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. “No one should impose on a woman what she needs to wear, or not wear,” said UN human rights office spokesperson Marta Hurtado on 26 September, upon being asked if the prohibition adhered to UN human rights standard. “According to international human right standards, restrictions of expressions of religions or beliefs such as attire choices are only acceptable under really specific circumstances that address legitimate concerns for public safety, public order or public health or morals, in a necessary and proportionate fashion,” she added. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, France’s Minister of Sport, caused outrage on 24 September following her comments on the country’s commitment to secularism and resistance to the wearing of religious symbols during athletic events. The International Olympic Committee has since announced — Friday, 29 September — that athletes are free to wear a hijab in the athletes’ village of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Olympic organisation also stated that it has spoken with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) in order to better…


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