Burkini bather 'barred from French pool'
August 6, 2017
A Muslim woman was barred from using a swimming pool at a vacation home in southern France because she wore a burkini bathing suit, the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) said on its website.
Read more: The burkini debate - Is female nudity empowering?
The CCIF said the woman wore the full-body swimsuit to the pool in the southern coastal city of La Ciotat without an issue. On the second day, however, the woman was instructed to get out of the pool and her husband was told she was not allowed to swim for the rest of their stay.
The owner of the vacation home told the family that the pool needed to be drained and cleaned since the woman had used it. He then reportedly withheld the family's 490-euro ($577) deposit in order to pay for the cleaning fees.
Read more: Why the burkini causes so much controversy
No hygiene concerns
The CCIF dismissed the house owner's claims that the woman's suit was unhygienic, as burkinis are made from elastic synthetic fabrics used for wetsuits and other types of swimwear. Burkinis cover all areas of the body except for the face, hands and feet.
Controversy over the full-body swimsuit erupted in France last summer when several communities along the French Riviera banned burkinis on public beaches.
The bans were eventually struck down by France's highest administrative court, which said they constituted serious and illegal violations of fundamental freedoms.
rs/tj (dpa, EFE)