A 35 year-old French citizen unidentified only as "Carole" was denied entrance to a public pool in the city of Emerainville, France, because she was wearing an Islamic swim-suit known as a "Burquini". The garment is a full-body swimsuit that exposes only the face, hand and feet, and is becoming quite popular with Muslim women, as it enables them to enjoy swimming while following the recommendations of modesty in their faith.
The same local swimming pool allowed the woman entry wearing the same clothing in July, but denied her access recently. While the woman maintains she is the victim of religious discrimination, local authorities site health regulations for the refusal to admit her to the public area, due to excessive clothing possibly harboring germs.
The affected woman has stated she will pursue legal action, along with possible demonstrations by activist groups, and has not ruled out leaving France altogether. There has been considerable action by the French Government in recent years directed at the removal of public displays of religion.
The Muslim population in France is estimated at 5 million people, the largest group in western Europe.