KUALA LUMPUR: An Egyptian volleyball player has criticised France's hijab ban on its athletes at the Paris Games.
On Thursday, Egyptian athletes Marwa Abdelhady and Doaa Elghobashy competed fully clothed and wearing hijabs against Spanish pair Liliana Fernández Steiner and Paula Soria Gutiérrez, who wore bikinis at the Eiffel Tower Stadium.
After losing 2-0, the Egyptians embraced in their long-sleeved tops and condemned the hijab ban, which applies only to French athletes at the Games. The ban affects sports such as football, basketball, volleyball, and boxing.
"I want to play in my hijab; she wants to play in a bikini—everything is OK, whether you want to be naked or wear a hijab. Just respect all different cultures and religions," Elghobashy told Swedish newspaper Expressen as reported by The Telegraph.
"I don't tell you to wear a hijab, and you don't tell me to wear a bikini. No one can tell me how to dress. It's a free country; everyone should be allowed to do what they want."
France's long-standing ban on religious and political symbols to uphold "laïcité" (secularism) has come under scrutiny during the Games.
French sprinter Sounkamba Sylla expressed her frustration after initially being barred from last week's opening ceremony due to her headscarf. A last-minute agreement allowed her to wear a cap and join the event.
Last month, several human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, wrote to the International Olympic Committee condemning the ban and urging intervention.
"The bans imposed by the French sports authorities are discriminatory and prevent Muslim athletes who decide to wear the hijab from exercising their human right to play sports without discrimination," the letter stated.
"The bans also contradict the human rights requirements for host countries and the IOC's strategic framework on human rights, as well as the fundamental principles of Olympism."
There is no national law banning hijabs in sports; individual sporting federations set their own rules regarding the item.
Cultural and religious sensitivities have often been highlighted in beach volleyball. Since its introduction at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, female competitors have historically played in bikinis.
The International Federation of Volleyball relaxed its clothing rules before the 2012 London Olympics, allowing women to compete in shorts and sleeved tops instead of sports bras and briefs.
"I love playing in a hijab, not with a bikini," said Elghobashy, who praised the rule change by volleyball's governing body as a sign of "respect."
"For another girl, you might not like it—it's OK for you. It's freedom; I felt comfortable and good. The hijab is a part of me. It's not that way for everyone."