Africans' access to the Olympic Games in Paris was hampered by discrimination in the issuance of Schengen visas, and African athletes face racism, the South African Institute for Security Studies found.
The issue of Schengen visas casts a shadow over the Games' inclusivity. With a rejection rate 10% higher than the global average, many African athletes and spectators are simply denied access to the event.
The racial prejudices against African athletes and performers extend beyond visa hurdles.
"Malian-born French dual citizen Aya Nakamura sang last Friday at the Olympics opening ceremony. For months, rumors of her performance sparked an onslaught of online racism, calling her ‘vulgar’ and saying Paris wasn’t the Bamako market. Far-right politicians, including National Rally Party leader Marine Le Pen, claimed Nakamura was not French enough and would ‘humiliate’ the country," the institute noted.
The French government's ban on athletes wearing religious headscarves, or hijabs, aimed at promoting secularism, further underscores the lack of inclusivity, according to ISS. This decision, despite criticism from human rights organizations, discourages Muslim women and girls from participating in sports.
Even in the heart of European sports, African athletes are not immune to discrimination. While globalization has brought an influx of African talent to European clubs, their contributions are often overshadowed by their dual identities.
According to the institute, the racial abuse faced by English footballer Bukayo Saka after the EURO 2024 final is a stark reminder of the persistent racism that permeates the sporting world.