Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad said she was left in tears after allegedly being detained at US Customs and Border Protection for two hours.

The 31-year-old - who became the first female Muslim American to be awarded an Olympic medal in Rio when she won bronze in Team Sabre - said she was devastated when she was held.

Ibtihaj, who also become the first US Olympic athlete to compete wearing a hijab, told Pop Sugar that the incident occurred 'a few weeks ago' but she has since said on Twitter that it took place in December.

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Devastated: American Muslim athlete Ibtihaj Muhammad, 31, pictured with her bronze medal in Rio, said she was detained by US Customs and Border Protection in December

Olympian: The fencer from New Jersey, pictured with her Team Sabre teammates in Rio, said she was left in tears after allegedly being detained for two hours

It comes after Donald Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven largely Muslim countries causing chaos in US airports.

Responding to a question about whether she knew anybody who had been affected by the President's ban - which is currently suspended after it was blocked by a federal judge - Ibtihaj revealed that she had been detained.

She said: 'Well, I personally was held at Customs for two hours just a few weeks ago.

'I don't know why. I can't tell you why it happened to me, but I know that I'm Muslim. I have an Arabic name.'

She added: 'Even though I represent Team USA and I have that Olympic hardware, it doesn't change how you look and how people perceive you.

'Unfortunately, I know that people talk about this having a lot to do with these seven countries in particular, but I think the net is cast a little bit wider than we know.

'And I'm included in that as a Muslim woman who wears a hijab.'

She said the incident was so upsetting that she was moved to tears.

Historic: Last year she became the first female Muslim American to be awarded an Olympic medal for her country

Hero: Ibtihaj, pictured left with the former president and right on Tuesday, said she was held 'a few weeks ago' but has since said that it was in December

'It's really hard. My human response is to cry because I was so sad and upset and disheartened — and just disappointed,' she said.

But Ibtihaj decided to speak out on behalf of others 'who may not be able to find that strength.'

She urged people to 'stand in solidarity' and support other people outside of their own communities.

On Saturday she commented further on the incident, writing on Twitter: 'Thanks to all who reached out regarding the December incident at customs. I will continue be a voice for all impacted by profiling and bigotry.'

In a recent Instagram post, featuring a picture of herself standing next to Barack Obama, Ibtihaj paid tribute to the former President.

'Thank you Barack Obama for raising the bar for every black man, woman and child and changing the way others see us and the way we see ourselves,' she wrote.

The sportswoman also encouraged people to donate to nonprofits such as American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to help fight the travel ban.

A spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection said: 'While we are not at liberty to discuss an individual’s processing due to the Privacy Act, our CBP officers are charged with enforcing not only immigration and customs laws, but they also enforce more than 400 laws for 40 other agencies.'