Sauna wrong to toss out woman wearing a burkini
A dress code banning burkinis from saunas is discriminatory, judges at the Dutch human rights institute have concluded. The Zwaluwhoeve...
The Zwaluwhoeve sauna in Hierden has been ruled discriminatory by Dutch human rights judges for banning burkinis at their facility. The decision came after a young woman was asked to leave the sauna in June 2025 while visiting with her family. The center claimed hygiene reasons for their ban, but the judges found insufficient evidence to support this claim.
There is no difference in hygiene between different types of swimwear fabric, according to studies cited in the decision. The dress code of the sauna is discriminatory on both religious and gender grounds, the judges concluded. Other saunas in the Netherlands permit burkinis. The woman left the sauna and later filed a claim with the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights.
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