Olympic women’s marathon runner Sifan Hassan has garnered global acclaim for winning her gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic closing ceremony while donning a hijab, following France's prohibition on their athletes wearing the religious attire.
The marathon events, being the final contests on the athletics schedule, receive special recognition at the closing ceremony, with the victors receiving their medals in a victory ceremony. However, this year, it was the women's marathon that took center stage as a poignant reminder of the Women’s March on Versailles in 1789, rather than the men's event.
The champion of the women’s marathon was Dutch athlete, 31-year-old Sifan Hassan. Hassan set a new Olympic record in the women’s marathon by completing the 42km race in 2:22:55. She also made history as the first woman to secure Olympic gold in the 5,000m, 10,000m, and the marathon across two Games.
During the Closing Ceremony, Sifan was accompanied on the podium by Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa, who earned silver, and Hellen Obiri, who captured bronze. However, as Sifan stepped onto the podium, she wore a hijab. This act is widely viewed as a statement against the host nation, which banned female athletes from wearing the hijab while competing in the Olympic Games last September.
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), women are free to wear the hijab. Nevertheless, French athletes, considered civil servants, are required to adhere to national regulations.
“This implies that they must honor the principles of secularism (laïcité) and neutrality, which, according to French law, prohibits the display of overtly religious symbols, including the hijab, veil, and headscarf, when acting in an official capacity and on official occasions as members of the French national team,” the IOC informed Time magazine.
On social media, viewers of the closing ceremony have lauded Hassan for her bold expression.
As a hijabi woman, Hassan’s choice to wear the hijab at the ceremony may not have been a direct political statement. Nonetheless, it certainly highlights France’s contentious decision.
