A court in Salzburg has ruled that an Alpine hotel in Saint Johann im Pongau discriminated against two Austrian Muslim women by prohibiting them from wearing burkinis last year.
The legal dispute concluded in late June when the court rejected an appeal by the hotel manager, upholding an initial €100 fine issued by local authorities in February and adding a €20 procedural fee.
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The conflict began the previous year when the manager engaged in a heated argument with the women, claiming that the full-body swimwear was unhygienic and caused discomfort among other guests.
During the proceedings, the court dismissed the establishment's sanitation arguments, stating that they "does not hold water, as burkinis are made from the same materials as other swimwear and routine water checks found no irregularities."
Despite the decision against the resort, the ruling does not create a sweeping mandate across the country.
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The presiding judge told AFP that "as indirect discrimination is permissible under certain conditions."
Austrian law permits women and girls over 14 to wear Muslim dress but prohibits full face coverings in public spaces.
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This restriction does not apply to the burkini, as it leaves the face, hands, and feet exposed.
