Egyptian athletes defy Paris hijab ban in beach volleyball showdown

Egyptian beach volleyball players competed at the Olympic Games wearing hijabs despite the French ban on athletes. Outraged, they criticized this rule right after the match. "Don't tell me to wear a bikini," said one of them in an interview with expressen.se.

Egyptian players Marwa Abdelhady and Elghobashy Doaa played against Spaniards Lilianie Fernandez Steiner and Paula Soria Gutierrez in an Olympic Games match. The African athletes had to acknowledge their opponents' superiority, losing 0-2. However, the final score did not garner the most attention.

Egyptian sportswomen competed fully dressed in black despite 86-degree Fahrenheit heat. They wore short-sleeved shirts with thermal underwear underneath, leggings on their legs, and traditional hijabs on their heads. The hijabs were particularly controversial because the French banned athletes from wearing them.

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera stated that the decision aims to respect the principles of secularism. The athletes opposed this rule, adhering to the guidelines of their faith, and then publicly condemned the imposed bans.

The Egyptian team is the only one that has decided to oppose the bans. Elghobashy Doaa said that she believes everyone should do what they want.

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. 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, said the Egyptian sportswoman in an interview with expressen.se.