As the Paris Olympics approach, France’s decision to ban athletes from wearing religious symbols, including the hijab, at the upcoming Paris Olympics has ignited criticism from athletes and rights groups.

This policy has sparked outrage from athletes and rights groups who call it discriminatory and exclusionary.

Diaba Konate, a 24-year-old French Muslim basketball player, spoke out at a press conference organized by human rights groups. She expressed her disappointment at being effectively barred from representing her country at the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11, due to the ban.

In a letter to the International Olympic Committee dated May 24 and shown to the press on Tuesday, it urged the Olympics body “to publicly call on sporting authorities in France to overturn all bans on athletes wearing the hijab in French sport, both at Paris 2024 and at all times and all levels of sport.