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Doha, Qatar: France is set to ban French athletes from donning the hijab, the Islamic headscarf, at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, speaking during a segment on French TV, said that no member of the French delegation at the Olympics will be permitted to wear the hijab.
"The France team will not wear the headscarf," Castera said during her TV appearance.
The decision is one of several recent judgments taken by the French government to limit the places where the Islamic headscarf can be worn.
Last month, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal told TF1 television that "it will no longer be possible to wear an abaya to school," adding that "clear rules at the national level" would be issued to school principals ahead of the start of classes nationwide on September 4.
The announcement sparked heated debate on social media.
Critics accused the country of Islamophobia, citing the ongoing struggle for inclusivity and accessibility to sports for Muslim athletes. Some argued that this decision further alienates Muslim women and makes sports less accessible for them.
Proponents of the ban said that the decision embodies French ideals of secularism.
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to be held at the French capital from July 26 to August 11.
