Retailer Decathlon backtracks on plans to sell a sportswear hijab in France after it was inundated with what it described as unprecedented insults and threats.
French retailer Decathlon has backtracked on plans to sell a sportswear hijab after receiving what it described as"unprecedented insults and threats".The company initially defended the product, before suspending it to"guarantee the safety of our employees"The hijab, which is designed for running and already retails in its Moroccan outlets, faced an immediate pushback from the public and politicians alike, who argued it contradicted France's secular values.
"My choice as a woman and a citizen will be to no longer trust a brand that breaks with our values," Health Minister Agnes Buzyn tweeted.The retailer initially doubled down on the promotion, taking to social media to argue its goal was to offer women"a suitable sports product, without judgement". But less than 24 hours later, following"many internal debates, and to guarantee the safety of our employees in France", it axed the hijab.
"Our mission is to create … products at the fairest prices, anywhere in the world," it said in a statement on its website, adding that in light of the"violent controversy", it would be suspending the product's rollout.
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