by Amaliah Team in World on 28th February, 2019
Retailer Decathlon in France has issued a statement on pulling a recently announced sports hijab off shelves this week. The french retailer announced the new sports hijab retailing in stores in France and then the next day made a U-turn, a statement was issued the following day revealing that they had received over 500 complaints from the public and politicians. Physically threatening behavior and insults were directed to in-store staff according to the brand.
Suite à de nombreux débats internes, et pour garantir la sécurité de nos collaborateurs en France : pic.twitter.com/0IePfSUkm9
— Decathlon (@Decathlon) February 26, 2019
The statement : “Our customer service team has received more than 500 calls and emails this morning. Our store teams have been insulted and threatened, sometimes physically. Since this morning, we have been facing an unprecedented wave of insults.”
Politicians have also expressed various opinions with some initially calling for the brand to be boycotted because of the introduction of the product in the first place.
Yet more outrageous racism from Macron’s party in France … and this man is ‘loved by the centrists’??? Decathlon drops French sports hijab after politicians threaten boycott https://t.co/L4iqBXJw0H
— mlavalette (@mlavalette) February 27, 2019
The hijab is permitted in France but some public spaces like state schools and some public buildings have imposed bans, we saw the burkini ban in 2016 which was later ruled illegal by Frnaces highest court.
Decathlon has over 1,500 stores in 49 countries including the UK, the brand have also been criticised for the move and there are an array of opinions and responses from twitter below:
Very contrasting headlines! Here in the UK we're just celebrating @Bruneluni's sports hijab introduction to boost participation, whilst Major French sportswear retailer @Decathlon will no longer sell hijabs following a public outcry!! Totally appalling!!! pic.twitter.com/o9oEgbjBJP
— Haroon Mota (@Haroon_Mota) February 27, 2019
Alarming that the French branch of #Decathlon was forced to halt its plans to sell the sports version of the Muslim hijab in France due to racist&islamophobic threats.A highly disturbing indicator for the current level of Islamophobia in the French society.https://t.co/hkX87KMbgY
— Mustafa Yeneroğlu (@myeneroglu) February 27, 2019
Will be boycotting @Decathlon from now!
Happy to make money from Muslim countries, but won't stand from freedom and choice in it's country of France. Very hypocratic! https://t.co/mc63izMRhs— Mahfooz (@Imperticus) February 27, 2019
How to lose out on the *Muslim Euro* https://t.co/wpUQdElZOU
— Nabeela Zahir (@NabeelaZahir) February 27, 2019
Yesterday in France, #Decathlon, a sport’s brand, unveiled a sport hijab. Today, in France Decathlon had to remove that sport hijab out of fear for the safety of their employees and collaborators after receiving insults and threats. But islamophobia isn’t real 😒
— مريم (@MerieB) February 26, 2019
This is annoying!🤬 There are far more important issues to tackle, French politicians!! Stop it with bothering what Muslim women can and cannot wear for crying out loud!!! 😡 Outcry and threats in France force sports giant Decathlon to scrap runners' hijab https://t.co/ELVQxSsx1j
— GaeMarie (@ginnygae) February 28, 2019
I know I shouldn't be surprised by the level of anti-Muslim hysteria in France is outrageous. Decathlon dropped the product after boycotts from politicians as well as receiving insults & threats towards its staff — all for wanting to sell a sports hijab. https://t.co/GxrHltAEo4
— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) February 26, 2019
Decathlon drops French sports hijab after politicians threaten boycott https://t.co/TNSb28s4V0 🔥so more men telling women what they can't wear? France's patriarchic values comes in many forms #France #stupidity
— beitris (@beitris) February 26, 2019
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