IOC responds to France's hijab ban for own athletes by allowing garment in "village"

The International Olympic Committee has ruled that participants in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be allowed to wear a headscarf in the athletes’ village which follows right after the French sports federation announced that their own athletes will be prohibited from wearing the garment during the competitions.

As reported by Reuters, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera disclosed the new regulation for French athletes on September 24 during the Paris Games in order to respect principles of secularism.

A spokesperson for the Olympic body said it was in contact with the French Olympic Committee (CNOSF) to better understand the situation with the French athletes.

“For the Olympic Village, the IOC rules apply. There are no restrictions on wearing the hijab or any other religious or cultural attire”, the IOC spokesperson told the publication, noting, that most of the 10,000 athletes will be using the facilities of the territory, such as common spaces, dining halls and recreational facilities.

However, the sports competitions themselves at the Olympics are under the responsibility and supervision of the individual international sports federations, in this case, that of France.