STATEMENT: PROPOSED BAN OF THE HIJAB IN FRENCH SPORTING COMPETITION
Updated: Jan 28, 2022
The international equality-in-sport charity, equitysport, has made a short statement following the news that on Tuesday 25th January 2022, the French Senate voted in favour of a proposed ban of the hijab in sports competition.
equitysport is deeply concerned by the apparent attempts to exclude Muslim women from sport on account of their beliefs in France. We recognise the influential role that France, the future host of the 2024 Olympic Games, has within the global sporting ecosystem.
We understand that many of our supporters, and equality-in-sport advocates more widely will be concerned, disappointed and angered by these reports, and the precedent this proposed legislation risks setting in sport more generally.
We are actively engaging with our friends and partners within the Muslim community both in the UK and internationally to better understand how we can best foreground those voices and will provide an update as soon as possible.
UPDATE - 28 JANUARY 2022
We, at equitysport, are appalled by proposed legislation to ban the Hijab from sporting competition in France. This is an egregious attack on the principle of universalism and on the right to access sport for Muslim women on account of their faith; it undermines the values of sport that promise a safe and inclusive space for all. We believe in a sporting future where all people are actively welcomed to access, participate and fully express their talents in and through sport as equals; not policed on what they believe or how they practice or express that faith.
For those ready to take action on the proposed Hijab ban in French sport, we encourage our supporters to engage with the campaigns being run by the following organisations:
Les Hijabeuses (Instagram: @leshijabeuses)
Muslim Women Sports Network (Instagram @muslimwomenssportnetwork)
Whilst we do not seek to appropriate the ongoing campaigns as our own, we stand in solidarity with those fighting these damaging policies in and out of France. We will use our platform to try and amplify those most impacted by this proposed legislation, i.e. Muslim women - for it is those voices that we should be listening to and learning from.
equitysport is a values-led registered charity (1189559) that exists to advance equality, promote diversity and extend equal opportunity in and through global sport. We seek an inclusive and equitable sporting ecosystem that lives true to the values of sport.
For interviews or further comment from equitysport, please contact the team via hello@equitysport.org