France’s top administrative court upholds ‘burkini’ ban in swimming pools

PARIS (AA) – The highest administrative court in France has upheld a ban on the ‘burkini’ under a new “secularism framework.”

The ‘burkini’ is a full-body swimming costume that allows Muslim women to participate in the sport while observing the religious commandment for modest covering. The ban will effectively prevent Muslim women from swimming in public pools anywhere in the country.

The Council of State confirmed the suspension of the internal regulations of the swimming pools passed in May by the Grenoble city, authorizing the wearing of the ‘burkini’.

Grenoble was the second French city after Renne to allow the burkini in public pools.

The council’s judge ruled that the change in the Grenoble pool’s regulations was made “to satisfy a religious claim” and the “targeted adaptation of the public service” rules strongly deviated from the common rule.

The decision was made under the framework of the new secularism legislation known as “confirming respect for the principles of the Republic” or the so-called “separatism law” which came into effect in August 2021 and has been criticized for singling out French Muslims.

In its judgment, the council upheld the decision delivered last month by the Grenoble administrative tribunal that allowing burkini in the council’s public pools would “seriously undermine the principle of neutrality of the public service.”

The decision is a huge setback for French Muslim women wearing burkinis who are prohibited from accessing public swimming pools. Several local mayors in the south of France have imposed restrictions on the full-body costume at France’s beaches as well.