Sifan Hassan received widespread praise for wearing a hijab during the 2024 Olympics’ final medal ceremony in Paris — poignant given France is openly hostile towards hijab and what Muslim women wear.
As Hassan received her gold medal at the Stade de France, she wore a maroon hijab with her bright orange tracksuit. The Dutch long-distance runner’s act was particularly significant given that France banned hijabs for its athletes during the Games.
The powerful gesture occurred during the closing ceremony with the world’s attention focused on the event.
Many supporters viewed Hassan’s hijab as a statement against xenophobia and discrimination in France. The country is home to the largest Muslim population in the EU but most of its national sports federations forbid the use of hijab.
On Sunday, Hassan won gold in the women’s marathon in an Olympic record time of two hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds.
This came after she had already won bronze in both the 5000m and 10,000m events. This impressive feat makes her the first person in 40 years to compete in all three long-distance events at a single Olympics.
Check out some of the comments on social media about Hassan wearing the hijab at the last medal ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
