By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
A French sprinter, Sounkamba Sylla, is expected to replace her headscarf with a cap to participate in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. This compromise comes in response to France’s strict secularism laws, which threatened to bar her from the event.
Earlier this week, Sylla, a Muslim and member of France’s 400m women’s and mixed relay teams, expressed her inability to partake in the ceremony due to her hijab. “You are selected for the Olympics, organized in your country, but you can’t participate in the opening ceremony because you wear a headscarf,” the 26 year old wrote on social media.
Sylla’s situation has reignited debates over France's secularism laws, which prohibit athletes representing the country from displaying religious symbols, including headscarves, during sporting events. Rights groups have called these rules discriminatory, arguing they leave many Muslim athletes "invisible, excluded, and humiliated." The UN also criticized the stance, asserting that no one should dictate a woman’s choice of attire.
These regulations do not apply to foreign athletes participating in the Games. However, with the arrival of thousands of athletes, including those who wear headscarves, the French government has been eager to mitigate the tension between its secularism laws and perceptions of discrimination against Muslims.
David Lappartient, president of the French Olympic Committee, emphasized that French Olympians must adhere to secular principles, which he described as intrinsic to French identity. French Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa Castéra, acknowledged the challenge of balancing secularism with inclusivity, indicating efforts to find a solution.
On Wednesday, Sylla announced that an agreement had been reached allowing her to participate in the opening ceremony. Although she did not provide specific details, the French Olympic Committee confirmed that she had agreed to wear a cap during the parade along the Seine River.
Despite this resolution, discontent over the French rules persists. Australian boxer Tina Rahimi, in a social media video, expressed gratitude for being able to compete in a hijab and lamented the challenges faced by athletes in France. She emphasized that an athlete’s performance should not be affected by their faith, nor should they have to sacrifice their beliefs to compete at the Olympic level.
