Muslim Women Expelled from French Swimming Pool

Two Muslim women have been expelled from a public swimming pool in France for wearing body covering swimwear.

The incident, at the Rives des Corbieres holiday camp in Port Leucate, southern France, came just weeks after French MPs voted to outlaw women wearing face covering Islamic dress in public places.

Camp management expelled the swimmers based on regulations that stated only swimming costumes may be worn in the water.

The expulsion followed an incident last year when a Paris swimming pool expelled a Muslim woman for wearing a body covering swimsuit ostensibly because it constituted a "hygiene problem".

The Paris pool's Chief Lifeguard made the decision based on rules that state that all women must wear swimsuits and men must wear small trunks, because larger items of clothing are believed to carry higher levels of bacteria.

The 2009 (European) summer also saw the Mayor of the town of Varallo Sesia in northern Italy seek to bar women from swimming in Islamic dress if spotted at swimming pools or riversides in the northern Piedmont town.

International news reports of these incidents refer to the women's swimwear as 'Burqinis', a term that originated as the brand name for a head-to-toe swimsuit designed by Lebanese-Australian Aheda Zanetti, but which seems to have gained currency as a generic term for any type of swimwear worn by Muslim women.

Zanetti's swimwear, sold through her company Ahiida Pty Ltd, is commonly worn at waterparks, swimming pools and beaches in Muslim countries through Asia, the Middle East and North Africa; is frequently seen in Sydney and Melbourne; and is generating interest in Europe.

Ahiida's swimwear allows the face to remain uncovered but its top part is a mixture of hijab and balaclava and the body is like a free-flowing tunic.

Zanetti is adamant that her swimwear is hygienic, stating "there's no proof full-length swimsuits are unhygienic", adding that "hygiene is a matter for the individual, not the suit.

"Wearing a Burqini swimsuit is not a political statement - we don't want to discourage people from living a full and varied life and my experience in Australia and from overseas sales, is that the Burqini offers the chance for women to embrace an active lifestyle."

In May this year, a Muslim woman won compensation and a written apology after she and her friends were refused permission to go on water rides at Perth's Adventure World because of their clothing.

Pakeeza Shaikh won the compensation following a year-long court battle as a result of Adventure World staff telling her group that they could not ride waterslides because of inappropriate swimwear.

Adventure World staff had apparently said the women's three-quarter length pants and long shirts were inappropriate, citing hygiene then safety reasons for their refusal to allow the women to use the rides.

At that time Adventure World did not sell the Burqini.

The popularity of the Burqini at waterparks in the Arabian Gulf was featured in the article 'Waves and Wadis' in the September/October 2009 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

To find out more about Ahiida's range of swim and sportswear contact Aheda Zanetti on 02 9750 0641, E: aheda@ahiida.com, www.ahiida.com

Image included for illustrative purposes only.

25th May 2010 - ADVENTURE WORLD PERTH APOLOGIES FOR BAN ON MUSLIM SWIMMING DRESS

14th September 2009 - AUSSIE BURQINI A GLOBAL SUCCESS