01 July 2016

Lower Austrian swimming pool bans burqinis

Burqinis (the full head-to-ankle swimsuit worn by some Muslim women) have now been banned from a swimming pool in the town of Hainfeld in Lower Austria - by order of the council. The Krone newspaper reports that the motion was submitted by councillor Peter Terzer, of the right-wing Freedom Party.

Mayor Albert Pitterle confirmed that from now on, swimmers will be required to wear appropriate swimwear in the water, that meet sanitary standards. He said no particular incident had prompted the ban, and that actually the bathing rules requiring appropriate swimwear had been in place “for decades”.

Terzer told a local newspaper that he was pleased the burqini ban had been adopted and that a text had been formulated which ensures that “no one wearing a burqini can enter the pool”. [The Local] Read more