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‘Burkini’ banned in French swimming pool

By Helen Abramson on Thursday 13 August 2009

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Burkini - World News - Marie Claire

A Muslim woman has been banned from wearing a ‘burkini’ in a swimming pool in the small French town of Emerainville, near Paris.

According to reports in The Telegraph, the woman, named only as Carole, 35, bought the three-piece swimsuit in Dubai. Consisting of a headscarf, tunic and trousers, the ‘burkini’ is a cross between a burka and a bikini. It allows Muslim women to swim without revealing their bodies.

The rules of public pools in France state that clothing is forbidden while swimming, for hygiene reasons.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's government is currently considering a ban on all Islamic clothing, such as the burka or niqab. In 2004, students across France were banned from wearing religious headscarves.

Yannick Decompois, the district swimming pools director, denies allegations that Carole’s case is a religious issue. ‘This has nothing to do with secularism, but is a simply a hygiene problem. For the same reasons men are also banned from wearing shorts,’ he said.

However, Carol, who converted to Islam aged 17, believes it is a political issue and accused the pool officials of illegal discrimination. She claimed: ‘For me, it's segregation and I am going to fight to try and change things.’

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Thursday 13 August 2009

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Living on the French Swiss boarder and going to the Pool in France with my family I totally agree with the ban! My husband and son are not allowed to wear anything other than speedos, no shorts etc for hygiene reasons. I see no reason why women of any religion should be allowed to go in to the pool fully clothed and a burkini in my opinion is fully clothed.

Comment by Golfer on August 13 13:08

Golfer, are you serious? How can one be so ignorant to another culture. God helps us.
Comment by daisy on August 13 14:44

As I said ANY religion, this is not a question of religion or culture, it's a question of hygiene. The No shorts rule has been in force for a very long time so why should a burkini be acceptable!

Next it will become a gender argument. Men No shorts, Women Yes to burkini's, hygiene therefore only applies to Men not Women!

Comment by Golfer on August 13 17:35

I don't go to nudists beaches because they want me to take all my clothes off... I just can't quite get my head round that...surely that's segregation!!?
Comment by Anon on August 19 13:31

Just where did nudist beaches come into this ?

We are talking your local French swimming pool which only allows speedo type swimming trunks not shorts for men and boys or burkini's for women for hygiene reasons

Comment by golfer on August 19 18:11

Surely the ban on no clothing for hygiene reasons for everyone needs looking at again. I mean what are the hygiene reasons??! And does this also mean that wetsuits are banned??! I can see this probably isn't a rule that intends to be discriminatory but it clearly has flaws!
Comment by tishy on August 21 16:18

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