France considers hijab ban in sports drawing criticism from athletes

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44 -year -old French Muslim weightlifter, Sylvie Arena proudly found weightlifting at the age of 40, winning the French national champion in his amateur category last year.

However, since a Muslim is changing and lifting 80kg from his head and lifting weight, it faces uncertainty as the French government progresses to ban head scarves in domestic sports competitions, which raises doubts about its ability to continue competitiveness.

“It seems that they are trying to limit our freedoms a bit more,” Arena, a passionate athlete, who trains five days a week. “It’s disappointing because we just want to play.”

Under the French secular system, government employees, teachers, students and athletes representing France abroad cannot wear clear religious symbols, such as a Christian cross, a Jewish cap, Sikh turban or a Muslim head scarf, also known as hijab.

So far, individual national sports federations can decide whether to allow hijab in domestic competitions.

But the purpose of the new legislation is to ban the head in all professional and amateur competitions across the country.

Backers say it will unite the confusion regulations, promote secularism and fight extremism.

Critics say it will be the only latest principle that discriminates against Muslim women.

‘Waste of time’

The bill was passed in the Senate in February and is soon to vote in the French Parliament’s Lower House.

Some supporters call “Islamist encroachments” in a country that has been shaken by deadly jihadist attacks in recent years.

But critics have pointed to a 2022 Interior Ministry report that the data “failed to show the structural or even important trends of radicalism in sports”.

Last month, French Olympic Judo Champion Teddy Rainer, a French Games star, said France had “wasted his time” with such debates and should think of “equality rather than attacking another one religion”.

Right -wing Home Minister Bruno Retilio replied that he “dissatisfied” as a “symbol of submission” as the head scarf.

Arena, who changed at the age of 19, said her head was allowed by the Weightlifting Federation – there was never a problem with fellow weightlifters.

He said the game has allowed him to befriend a completely different background.

He said, “The game brings us together: it forces us to know each other, go beyond our prejudices.”

‘Needlessly needed’

French Football and Basketball Federations are among those who have banned religious symbols, including head scarves.

In 2023, the country’s highest administrative court retained the rule in football, and discussing that the federation is allowed to impose “need for neutrality”.

Last year, UN experts called the rules “inappropriate and discriminatory” in both sports.

If such legislation passes, it is difficult to guess how many women can be prevented from competing. But AFP spoke to several women whose life was already affected by similar rules.

The 21 -year -old Frenchman of the Algerian generation, Samiya Boljedari, said she had been playing football for her club in Maoist village for four years when she decided to cover her hair at the end of high school.

She kept playing with her team, but after a series of consecutive weeks after allowing her club to go to the field, she asked her to take off her hijab or leave.

He said, “They ended my happiness, just like, on the scarf, made me really sad.”

The French secularism brand is from the 1905 law that protects “the freedom of conscience”, separates the church and the state, and ensures the neutrality of the state.

The country’s constitution states that France is a secular republic.

Ram Sarah Alvin, a researcher at the University of Tolos Capitol, said the 1905 law had intended to “save the state from potential abuses”, in recent years, “surrendered” against Muslims against Muslims.

He said, French secularism has been turned into a tool for its modern interpretation to overcome the religion of religion within the public place, especially and mostly, targeting Muslims. “

‘Defend secularism’

Minister for Sports Mary Barsic last month warned against wearing a head scarf with radicalism in the game.

But Minister of Justice Gerald Darmanin said that if the government did not defend secularism, he would empower the right right.

In the Owais region north of Paris, 24 -year -old Audri Dux said that after converting to Islam a few years ago, he stopped participating in basketball games.

He said instead, he continued training with his former colleagues and started coaching an adult club’s team.

But when she goes to sports at the end of the week, she is not allowed to go to a court bench with a head scarf – so she is forced to scream from bleach.

“At school, I learned that secularism is living together, accepting everyone and allowing everyone to practice their religion,” said Davx. “It seems that they are changing the definition a bit.”