News Desk
PARIS: United Nations rights experts have condemned France’s ban on women and girls wearing the Muslim headscarf in sports competitions, calling the restriction discriminatory and demanding its reversal. France, citing secularism, has barred athletes from wearing any religious symbols, including the hijab, during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The ban extends to the country’s football and basketball federations, which have excluded players wearing headscarves even at the amateur level.
These decisions, the UN experts argue, disproportionately target Muslim women and infringe on their rights to express their religious identity and fully engage in French society. In a statement endorsed by eight independent UN experts, including special rapporteurs on cultural rights, minority issues, and freedom of religion, the ban is described as infringing on the rights of Muslim women to participate in cultural and sports life without discrimination.
The experts assert that neutrality and secularism do not justify blanket bans on religious expression. They argue that secularism in France, intended to ensure state neutrality on religious matters, should not interfere with citizens’ rights to practice and express their beliefs. This principle, the experts note, should not restrict freedoms without strong justification—such as public safety, health, or protection of others’ rights—grounded in concrete evidence rather than stereotypes.
