A Lot Of People Are Talking About Egypt's Beach Volleyball Uniforms

Some are calling it a culture clash, others are celebrating the diversity.

This photo of a women's beach volleyball match at the Rio Olympics has gotten a huge reaction online. It shows 19-year-old Egyptian athlete Doaa Elghobashy going up against Germany's Kira Walkenhorst.

Barney Ronay @barneyronay

Great pic in O Globo. Egypt (left) v Germany in beach volleyball

Mon Aug 08 13:28:14 UTC+0000 2016

In the photo, Elghobashy is wearing a long-sleeved shirt, leggings, and a hijab, a headscarf many Muslim women choose to wear. Walkenhorst, on the other hand, is wearing a bikini.

The photo was taken by Reuters photographer Lucy Nicholson during the game this Sunday.

Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

"I have worn the hijab for 10 years," Elghobashy told the Associated Press after the match. "It doesn't keep me away from the things I love to do, and beach volleyball is one of them."

Many people who shared the photo on Facebook and Twitter said it highlighted a "culture clash."

craig stone @craigstone_

Culture clash. #volleyball #Rio2016

Mon Aug 08 11:49:18 UTC+0000 2016

BBC Africa called it a battle of "Bikini vs Burka."

BBC Africa / Facebook / Via Facebook: bbcafrica

Note: A burka is another garment altogether, one that covers the entire head and body.

While others say it highlights the Olympic ideal of different cultures and countries coming together.

Facebook: Gerraddict

The pairing of Doaa Elghobashy and Nada Meawad is the first Egyptian women's beach volleyball team to compete at an Olympics.

Ruben Sprich / Reuters

New rules that were put in place before the 2012 Olympics in London give women more options for what to wear in beach volleyball. The change was meant to give more "flexibility" to countries with "religious and cultural requirements," the International Volleyball Federation said at the time.

The Egyptian pair lost the game 2 sets to 0, but they will go on to play Italy next Tuesday, and Canada on Thursday.

Ruben Sprich / Reuters

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