'Running hijab' pulled off shelves in France after insults & threats

In the latest move against how Muslim women choose to dress in France, public pressure has led to sports retail company Decathlon pulling plans to sell a running hijab.

The Independent reported that the firm made the decision following "a wave of insults and threats".

The company said it had received more than 500 calls and e-mails regarding the running hijab and that some staff in its stores had been insulted and threatened.

Initially the company defended its decision. In a tweet, it said that the move to market the running hijab was done to make sport more accessible everywhere in the world. It said the running hijab was a necessity for some runners and, as such, it was responding to a sporting need.

The running hijab is already on sale in Morocco, a predominantly Muslim country, and was set to go on sale in 49 other countries in March.

Just as in 2016, when authorities in 15 French towns banned burkinis (modest swimming costumes for Muslim women) politicians claimed that wearing the running hijab ran counter to the country's secular values.

The ban of the burkini followed a succession of Islamic extremist attacks in France and was defended as necessary to protect the population. A ruling by the state council, France’s highest administrative court, said the burkini would offend the religious and nonreligious convictions of other beachgoers.

The running hijab that Decathlon planned to introduce to its stores was not the first of its kind. Nike has sold a version, the Nike Pro Hijab, since December 2017.

In launching the product, Nike said: "By providing Muslim athletes with the most ground-breaking products ... Nike aims to serve today's pioneers as well as inspire even more women and girls in the region who still face barriers and limited access to sport."

Decathlon has confirmed that it will not be stocking the running hijab in its two South African stores because there is insufficient demand.