This viral photo from the Paris Olympics women's beach volleyball match is all about what they are wearing

The beach volleyball match between Egyptian women and Spain at the Paris Olympics 2024 has captured the world's attention on social media, but not for the reasons one might expect. It was not the players athleticism but a unique reason that has made this game go viral.

Hijab Vs Bikini

A shot from the Egyptian women's beach volleyball match against Spain at the Paris Olympics has taken social media by storm.

The photo, with over 32 million views on X (formerly Twitter) and 26k upvotes on Reddit, shows an intriguing contrast: the Egyptian players, Marwa Abdelhady and Doaa Elghobashy, clad in hijabs, long-sleeved shirts, and black leggings, shaking hands with their Spanish opponents, who are sporting bikinis.

the Egyptian women's beach volleyball team vs Spain at the Paris Olympics pic.twitter.com/V5pVtZMp8D

¡ª juju ? (@ayeejuju) August 3, 2024

How did social media react?

One user chimed in, "Two different cultures coming together through sport¡ªactually, that's kind of the whole point!"

Another added, "Isn't it wonderful when people embrace their own cultures, tolerate each other, share smiles, and play together?"

Some went all out, drawing comparisons between the scene and U.S. politics, likening it to MAGA versus the Secret Service.

Credit: X

And another commentator summed it up perfectly: "Despite their different religions and traditions, they come together for sports and respect their opponents. This is exactly what we want to see in a great sporting event!"

But there were some who had a different perspective.

One said, "This should be a pic showing the plight of women in Muslim societies. Where men rule & even a woman's hair must be covered. Can you imagine wearing this in 100¡ã?" while another wrote, "This is a grave disadvantage to the Egyptians, its 115 degrees Fahrenheit on sand and their range of motion is obstructed, good for them for getting this far but their association is trying to tarnish their chances of competing at the optimal level."

Credit: AP

One wrote, "These women deserve a life where they are not oppressed. It's sad we allow the world to treat people this way!"

And yet another wrote, "I see their uniforms as two extremes. Western outfits show way too much skin and Middle Eastern outfits are too restrictive. They both should just wear shorts and a T-shirt like most people who play volleyball outside of the Olympics wear."

Egyptian team speak out against France's hijab ban

The hijab has indeed become a focal point at these Olympics, especially given the host country, France's law prohibiting religious symbols, including hijabs, in public schools and among state employees, which extends to French athletes.

This means that none of the French competitors are allowed to wear a hijab while playing if they choose to.

Doaa Elghobashy told CNN, "I want to play in my hijab, she wants to play in a bikini.. Everything is OK, if you want to be naked or wear a hijab. Just respect all different cultures and religions."

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