Sifan Hassan wears hijab on Olympic podium after record-breaking marathon win
Paris: Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands set an Olympic record in the women’s marathon, the final track and field event of the Paris Games, with a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds. Her performance, especially in the last 250 meters, secured her the gold medal.
However, her victory was marked by more than just her athletic prowess. Hassan accepted her gold medal during the final podium ceremony at the Olympics 2024 wearing a hijab. This act held particular significance as it occurred against the backdrop of France’s controversial decision to ban France's female athletes from wearing hijabs during the competition.
The sight of Hassan receiving her medal while wearing her hijab resonated globally, drawing widespread applause from fans.
Social media erupted with support, praising her courage in standing against the ban.
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Many users highlighted the contrast between her victory and France’s policy, calling it a powerful statement against the country’s stance on religious attire.
Criticism of France’s decision has been extensive, with the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation and Amnesty International both arguing that the ban contradicts the Olympics' values of equality, inclusion, and respect for cultural diversity. Amnesty International had expressed these concerns just a week before the Games began.
Hassan’s triumph in the marathon caps a remarkable journey. A former Ethiopian asylum-seeker, she won three long-distance running medals in just six days, including a bronze in both the 10,000m and 5,000m events. Her achievement makes her the first athlete since Emil Zatopek in 1952 to medal in all three distance events at a single Games.
Hassan's legacy was already significant before these Games. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she won gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, as well as a bronze in the 1,500m, making her the first athlete to medal in both middle and long-distance events at the same Olympics. With her latest victory, she also became the only woman to win gold medals in all three long distance running events: 5,000m, 10,000m, and the marathon.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
