French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla says she’s barred from the Olympic opening ceremony due to her hijab

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PARIS (AP) — French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla says she has been barred from Friday’s opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics because she wears a hijab, and the French Olympic Committee said it is working with her to find a solution that adheres to the team’s secular requirements for athletes.

Sylla, a 26-year-old member of France’s 400-meter women’s and mixed relay teams, shared her frustration on Instagram on Sunday.

“You are selected for the Olympics, organized in your country, but you can’t participate in the opening ceremony because you wear a headscarf,” she wrote.

France enforces a strict principle of “ laïcité ”, loosely translated as “secularism.” On Wednesday, David Lappartient, president of the French Olympic Committee, said that French Olympians are bound by the secular principles that apply to public sector workers in France, separating state and church, which includes a ban on hijabs.

“It’s perhaps sometimes not understandable in other countries in the world, but it’s part of our DNA here in France,” he said.

Lappartient said discussions are underway with Sylla to find a solution that adheres to the French Olympic team’s secular requirements while also respecting the athlete’s “legitimate wish that her beliefs are respected.”

“I have no doubt that a solution can be found,” he said. “We hope that everyone can take part in the opening ceremony.”

Sylla’s post has prompted support from fellow athletes, including members of the French Olympic team, who voiced their indignation. Pole vaulter Marie-Julie Bonnin commented “I can’t believe it” on Sylla’s post, and relay teammate Muhammad Abdallah Kounta added “liberty, equality, fraternity they say. Please share this. This is not normal.”

Sylla has competed with a black headscarf in several previous events, including the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, as well as the World Relays in May 2024.

During Friday’s opening ceremony, the French delegation will wear tailor-made uniforms from the French luxury brand Berluti, owned by the LVMH group.

French Minister of Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said LVMH is involved in the effort to be “inventive with solutions so that everyone feels comfortable.”

Sylla’s hijab first arose as a concern before the European Championships in Rome earlier this year. The solution was a blue cap incorporated into the team kit that Oudéa-Castéra said “respected our principles.” The cap had a sewn-on strip of fabric that Sylla wore to cover her hair. It’s unclear if Sylla will wear a similar hair piece to compete in Paris.

“We want to follow the same logic. That’s why we’re progressing in discussions with LVMH and Berluti. I am confident,” Oudéa-Castéra said.

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Associated Press writer John Leicester contributed to this story.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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