An Austrian court has ruled that banning Muslim women from wearing burkinis in a hotel swimming pool constitutes religious discrimination, upholding fines against two hotel managers in the Pongau region.
The Salzburg Regional Administrative Court rejected the managers' appeal against penalties imposed by local authorities, confirming fines of 100 euros each for a female manager and a male manager, plus 20 euros in procedural costs. The managers had barred two women from the pool in autumn 2025, citing hygiene concerns that the court found unsubstantiated, noting burkinis are made from the same materials as other swimwear. The court also noted that staff told the women to adapt and suggested burkinis were perhaps acceptable in Saudi Arabia but not in Austria.
The ruling can still be appealed to Austria's Constitutional and Administrative courts.