Hussa K. Al Khalifa, Ph.D.’s Post

In light of recent developments, it's crucial to address the exclusionary policies impacting hijab women in the upcoming 2024 Olympics in France. French authorities have imposed a ban on athletes wearing hijabs, citing the nation's strict secularism laws. This policy has sparked significant controversy and backlash from various human rights organizations and advocates who argue that such restrictions are discriminatory and undermine the inclusive spirit of the Olympics. Amnesty International has criticized the ban, stating that it violates Muslim women's human rights and hinders their participation in sports. This prohibition is seen as part of a broader trend of laws in France that disproportionately affect Muslim women, reinforcing gendered Islamophobia and exclusion from public and professional spheres. Furthermore, this ban contradicts the inclusive policies of international sports bodies like FIFA, which allows women to wear hijabs during competitions. Critics argue that the Olympic Games, which claim to be gender-equal and inclusive, should not enforce such restrictive measures, as they prevent athletes from competing freely and expressing their cultural and religious identities. The backlash has led to calls for boycotting the Paris 2024 Olympics and demands for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to take a stand against these discriminatory practices. The ongoing debate highlights the importance of ensuring that all athletes, regardless of their religious beliefs, have the right to compete without compromising their identity. It's essential for the Olympic movement to embody true inclusivity and respect for diversity, ensuring that all athletes are given equal opportunities to participate and excel on the global stage. What are your thoughts about it?

This is an important issue that must be addressed: Wearing Hijab is indeed within the scope of Article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which was adopted in Paris, that states the following: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948) Hence, the ban disregards a key aspect of Human rights. From management perspective, the freedom of religious practice of team members has a positive impact on their performance, reducing work-related stress (Kutcher et al., 2010). It also promotes job satisfaction, as it is usually perceived as a form of organisational appreciation (Kutcher et al., 2010). This can also be seen as a form of autonomy at the work place, hence aligning perfectly with the significant positive association between autonomy and work motivation (Vo et al., 2022). Thus, if you seek Gold Medals 🥇 -aside from being humane and trustworthy- you should appreciate your team members! References: - Kutcher, E. J., Bragger, J. D., Rodriguez-Srednicki, O., & Masco, J. L. (2010). The role of religiosity in stress, job attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of business ethics, 95, 319-337. - Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (1948). G.A. Res 217A(III) art. 18. - Vo, T. T. D., Tuliao, K. V., & Chen, C. W. (2022). Work Motivation: The Roles of Individual Needs and Social Conditions. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 12(2), 49. https://lnkd.in/eCisdsCf #Freedom #Humanity #Leadership #Management

The world of women's football is now preparing to enter a new chapter of progress after several changes are slowly being initiated. Maternity policies, world competitions between clubs, second caste European level tournaments, and various acceleration programs have also accompanied the arrival of the most glorious era for women's football. This progress not only frees itself from restraint, but is a momentum to discover the best meaning of football for women who choose to enjoy it. Presenting “Segala Ide Meretas Blokade”: https://lnkd.in/gFH77KCW.

Did you know? 💡 In the GAP Women project survey on female participation in sports federations, the overwhelming majority ❗️81.2% agreed that dominant male language is still evident in sport rules, manuals, and structures of sport organisations. Learn more 👉️ https://lnkd.in/dYSZnRFx #GenderEquality #GrassrootsSport

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) must take decisive action to implement a universal ban across all sports to protect women athletes. The responsibility to protect the integrity of women’s sports at the Olympics lies squarely with the IOC, not individual sports federations. The transgender craze is burying the dreams of countless girls, teenagers, and young athletes who are forced to compete against men, who claim to be women, within sports regulations that are blind to the catastrophic consequences and dangers of endorsing this irrationality. Where are the feminist groups on this? Why the silence from them? Why are they not standing up and calling for a ban on men competing in women's sport? If we remain silent, women's sports will vanish. https://lnkd.in/eVcBQx2z

Did you know that female soccer players earn only 25% of what male players make at the World Cup? Or that only 9% of football referees are women? ⚽️ Female athletes for long have faced an uphill battle - unequal pay, lack of media coverage, outdated stereotypes, and double standards. But it's time to #ChangeTheGame! 💥 Today, marking World Football Day, let’s tackle the unequal playing field to give every athlete the same chance of succeeding and thriving under equal circumstances. Go check out UNESCO’s Fit for Life campaign, be part of the change 👉 https://lnkd.in/dQfxymWQ

How do we support sportswomen to commercialize their talent through the business of sport? 💰 From pay gaps to sponsorship disparities, the playing field isn't level.⚖️ It starts with unlocking #OneMoreFan to change the game! The battle begins today, 27 March - 17 April as the Proteas Women and Sri Lanka lock horns in 3️⃣ T20Is & 3️⃣ ODIs. 🇿🇦🇱🇰🏏 #SAWvs#SIRW #OneMoreFan

🧵 NEW REPORT 🚨 “We can’t breathe anymore. Even sports, we can’t do them anymore” 🇫🇷🧕🏽 Violations of Muslim women’s and girls’ human rights through hijab bans in sports in France ⚽️🏀 🏐 #Paris2024 “Banning French athletes from competing with sports hijabs at the Olympic and Paralympic Games makes a mockery of claims that Paris 2024 is the first Gender Equal Olympics and lays bare the racist gender discrimination that underpins access to sport in France,” Anna Błuś In France, the prohibition on Muslim women from wearing any form of religious headgear extends far beyond the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Bans on hijabs are in place in several sports including football, basketball and volleyball, at both professional and amateur levels. These bans, put in place by sports federations, mean that many Muslim women are not only excluded from participating in sports but also never get the necessary training and competition opportunities to reach the Olympic level. France’s exclusionary bans cause humiliation, trauma and fear and have resulted in many women and girls dropping out of sports. It violates, among other rights: ❌ Freedom of religion ❌ Freedom of expression ❌ The right not to be discriminated 🤐The IOC has so far refused to call on sporting authorities in France to overturn their bans on athletes wearing the hijab at the Olympics and at all levels of sport. The IOC claimed that the ban was outside the remit of the Olympic movement, claiming that “freedom of religion is interpreted in many different ways by different states”, ignoring that it violates other rights protected in its human rights framework Norges idrettsforbund also refused to stand up for French athletes, despite having an international strategy called “values worth standing up for”, that specifically says Norwegian sports authorities should raise concerns about tournament-related human rights abuses.

In light of recent events, it's vital to address how sports and cultural sensitivity intersect. The discriminatory chants sung about French players during Argentina's Copa America win have rightfully sparked outrage and condemnation. Such incidents remind us of the deep-rooted issues of racism and discrimination that still plague the world of sports. Similarly, the French Olympic Committee's (CNOSF) decision to uphold their ban on French athletes wearing hijabs at this year’s Olympics held in Paris raises questions about inclusivity and respect for cultural and religious practices. While their intention may be to maintain a certain “standard or uniformity”, the impact on Muslim women and girls competing at all levels who wear hijabs is profound. As Anna Błus, Amnesty International’s Women’s Rights Researcher in Europe, poignantly expressed: “No policymaker should dictate what a woman can or cannot wear and no woman should be forced to choose between the sport she loves and her faith, cultural identity, or beliefs.” This ban can be perceived as another form of exclusion, one that targets a specific group and not only strips them of their human rights but also blocks their opportunity to inspire future generations. Both incidents, though different in nature, emphasise the pressing need for sports organisations to cultivate environments that are both competitive and inclusive, denouncing racist behaviour and discriminatory policies that contradict the essence of sports - unity through diversity. Moreover, it prompts essential questions: If sport is meant to be the ultimate level playing field, should governing bodies be doing more to ensure the safety and protection of competitors at every level of sports? Should countries be sanctioned for preventing any form of basic human rights at international sporting events, and how should these sanctions be enforced? Representing your country should be considered one of the highest honours an athlete can achieve, and to have to hide a part of your identity to fit into political ideologies shouldn’t have a place in sport or anywhere else for that matter. Read more: - https://lnkd.in/eDPi6Z6R - https://lnkd.in/ebSR_cbi #Inclusion #Equality #Sportsmanship #Respect #Diversity #CulturalSensitivity #Olympics #CopaAmerica

Wonderful to have a whole hour to explore the media coverage of women's sport, and the systems that enable and inhibit it. Who better to do that with than Richelle Hunt, Sarah Styles, & Clare Hanlon on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)'s The Conversation Hour? If you're keen to understand the opportunity that exists for the sport ecosystem to enhance our communities through story telling, give it a listen.