France Hijab Ban in Sports Discriminatory, Should Be Reversed: UN Experts
The experts criticized decisions by the French football and basketball federations to exclude players wearing the hijab from competitions, including at the amateur level, the website of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported on Monday.
Experts also condemned the French Government's decision to prevent French athletes from wearing the hijab at the Paris Olympic Games, describing these measures as disproportionate and discriminatory.
“Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab must have equal rights to participate in cultural and sporting life, and to take part in all aspects of French society of which they are a part,” the experts stated.
The ban on hijabs for French athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics has drawn significant criticism. While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows athletes to wear hijabs in the Olympic Village, the French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra confirmed that French athletes would be prohibited from wearing the hijab during competitions. Paris says the decision is based on the country’s strict secularism laws, which aim to keep public spaces free from religious symbols.
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The UN experts emphasized that the neutrality and secular nature of the state are not legitimate grounds for imposing restrictions on freedom of expression and religion.
They argued that any limitations on these freedoms must be proportionate, necessary, and justified by demonstrable facts, not by presumptions or prejudices.
“The Conseil d'État's decision in the case of the French football federation, and the bill tabled before the Senate in March 2024, not only confirm the discriminatory measure in the practice of sport, but also seem to imply that wearing the hijab in public is tantamount to a breach of public order,” the experts noted.
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In light of the strong stigmatization and intolerance faced by women and girls who choose to wear the hijab, the experts urged France to take all necessary measures to protect their rights and promote equality and mutual respect for cultural diversity.
The experts have communicated their concerns to the French Government, which were also highlighted in a report presented at the UN General Assembly by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights.
Source: Agencies
