France Prohibits Hijab for Its Olympic Athletes
Freemuslim Inclusion Forum strongly condemns the French Minister of Sports’ decision to prohibit French female athletes from wearing the hijab at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This discriminatory measure is a blatant violation of internationally guaranteed freedoms, including those enshrined in United Nations laws that protect individual rights and human dignity.
This decision contravenes Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status. Furthermore, Article 5 stipulates that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. While Muslim women are not subjected to torture in this case, they indeed face inhumane treatment when their lifestyle choice to wear the hijab is taken away from them.
Additionally, the decision violates Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
The organization views this decision with grave concern, recognizing it as unacceptable racist behavior that disregards the sentiments of Muslims both within and outside France. It undermines the natural identity of Muslim women and disregards their individual rights and dignity.
The organization urges the French authorities to reconsider and rescind this arbitrary decision, as it not only infringes on the individual rights of Muslim women but also damages the image of democracy and the freedoms that France upholds, which include the separation of religion from the state. Respect for religious freedom and human dignity is a cornerstone of international human rights, and this decision stands in stark opposition to those principles.
