The French Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, assured us last week: the wearing of the Islamic veil will not be permitted in the French delegation to the Paris 2024 Games. Since then, the UN has taken the opposite position. Now it’s the IOC’s turn to enter the debate. Unsurprisingly, the Olympic body is siding with the United Nations. Its spokesperson made it clear: the wearing of the hijab will be authorized next year, at least in the athletes’ village. “For the Olympic Village, IOC rules apply. There are no restrictions on the wearing of the hijab or any other religious or cultural garment.” However, the body specifies: “As far as competitions are concerned, the rules laid down by the relevant international federation apply. Given that this French regulation only concerns members of the French team, we are in contact with its National Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to better understand the situation of French athletes.”
