The Minister of Sports explained in the program “Dimanche en politique” on France 3 the government’s attachment “to a regime of strict secularism, strictly applied in the field of sport”.
At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, French athletes will not be able to wear the veil, whatever the discipline. At the question, “Would it be a problem if there were veiled athletes in France?“, the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, responded by recalling “the government’s attachment to a regime of secularism. That is to say that the representatives in our delegations and in our French teams will not wear the veil.” On the other hand, the IOC is not of the same opinion as the French government. The IOC is “on a logic which consists of understanding the wearing of the veil not as a religious factor, but as a cultural factor“, recognizes the minister on the set of France 3. Indeed, as explained Nicolas Cadène, former president of the Observatory of Secularism, on franceinfo, the IOC is based on the provisions of international federations which do not all have the same opinion.
In France, the law does not explicitly prohibit the wearing of the veil during sporting competitions. There is indeed a “obligation of religious neutrality” in the texts, but it only applies to public sector agents. However, sports federations are private organizations. Faced with this legal vacuum, each sports federation organizes itself on its own and in France, the positions vary.
The wearing of the veil is authorized in rugby, provided that it does not constitute a danger for the players. It is also allowed for handball, but must not be placed around the neck. In tennis, players can wear the veil without restriction. On the other hand, the French Basketball Federation decided to ban it, as did the French Football Federation. At the end of June, the Council of State maintained the ban on the wearing of the hijab in women’s football.
A French exception
Abroad, there is no ban as such on the wearing of the veil during sports competitions. “as long as the latter is worn like any accessory which would be compatible with the rules of the game, with the rules of hygiene and safety, such as for example an open hood or a tight hat, or even a protective helmet “, explains Nicolas Cadène, former president of the Observatory of Secularism.
The International Basketball Federation has authorized the wearing of the hijab since 2017, just like athletics, tennis, boxing and karate. Fifa did the same in 2014. This summer, Moroccan Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to play a World Cup match wearing a veil.
The UN reiterated on Tuesday its opposition in principle to imposing on women what they should or should not wear. “In general, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights believes that no one should dictate to a woman what she should or should not wear.“, said the spokesperson for the High Commission, Marta Hurtado, in response to a question during the regular UN press briefing in Geneva, on the statements on Sunday by the French Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.