IOC goes against minister and allows the use of the Islamic veil in the Olympic Village

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not care about censorship or discrimination in Paris-2024 Games and assured this Friday (29) that the ban on the use of the hijab imposed by the French sports minister, Amelie Oudea-Castera, under allegations of religious imposition, will not be taken into consideration for anyone staying in the Olympic Village.

People of the Islamic doctrine are allowed to wear clothing in the Olympic village and the IOC is in contact with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to find out the reason for such a ban, initially only for French athletes.

“For the Olympic Village, IOC rules apply,” said a spokesperson for the International Committee. “There are no restrictions on the use of the hijab or any other religious or cultural attire,” he continued, highlighting that there will be no religious prohibitions against the approximately 10,000 athletes who will reside at the site.

The Paris 2024 Games take place between July 26th and August 11th and the decision to ban the use of the hijab was not well accepted by athletes and federations around the world, who protested. The United Nations human rights office even criticized the French decision.

A country in Europe with one of the largest Muslim minorities, France had already adopted this stance under the allegation of “protecting its strict form of secularism, ‘laicité’, accusing it of threatening Islam.

“When it comes to competitions, the regulations established by the relevant International Federation (IF) apply”, emphasized the IOC spokesperson, guaranteeing that it will act with diplomacy with the French, even allowing the use of the hijab for the country’s athletes as well. -thirst. “As this French regulation only concerns members of the French national team, we are in contact with CNOSF to better understand the situation of French athletes.”