Like an air of deja vu.
While the subject had been addressed and decided last year during the controversial bill on separatism and radical Islam, the question of wearing the Islamic veil in sport made a resounding return to the National Assembly.
In full examination of a bill on the democratization of sport in France, the senators voted for an amendment to extend the ban on the hijab – already in force in football – to all federations.
A collective of players, the Hijabeuses, leads the sling, supported by many personalities.
Nearly fifty international athletes (active or retired) call, this Wednesday, in a forum published by Liberation, to oppose this ban.
Among the signatories: Lilian Thuram, Éric Cantona, Jessica Houara, Vikash Dhorasoo…
Who are the Hijabeuses?
This group of sportswomen was created in May 2020 to allow veiled girls to evolve in competition.
It is overseen by the association Alliance Citoyenne.
“We just want to play football, we are not pro-hijab activists, just football enthusiasts, the rest is a bit beyond us”, assures co-president Founé Diawara.
The Hijabeuses are attacking article 1 of the regulations of the French Football Federation (FFF) which stipulates that “any wearing of a sign or outfit ostensibly manifesting a political, philosophical, religious or trade union affiliation” is banned.
VIDEO.
The "Hijabeuses" play football in front of the Senate
Why is the FFF opposed to wearing the veil?
While the world body, FIFA has allowed players to play in international competition with their veil since 2012, the FFF is an exception in the football landscape.
It is one of the only federations to maintain this ban in Europe.
The reason ?
Respect for “constitutional and legislative principles of secularism which prevail in our country and which appear in its statutes”, according to a press release issued in 2012.
What the law says ?
If French law imposes neutrality on employees and agents working for delegated federations of a public service, it is however more vague for its users.
According to Maître Michel Pautot, doctor of law and lawyer at the Marseille bar, "no standard of domestic law restricts the freedom of religion or belief within associative activities".
Limits exist if an association observes, for example, active proselytism, if the veil contravenes hygiene and safety, etc.
“The ban posed by the FFF is not justified by the proper functioning of the public service, it is justified by an ideological principle of sporting public order and this goes beyond the law.
The FFF can regulate its competitions,
Why are parliamentarians taking up the subject?
According to the lawyer, it was her appeal filed in November 2021 before the Council of State that made the senators move.
"The parliament understood that there was a risk of cancellation of this ban," she points out.
The senators had already tried for the first time, without success, to ban the veil in competition during the discussions, last summer, on the bill against separatism and radical Islam.
They adopted on January 19, against the advice of the government, an amendment proposed by the LR group prohibiting "the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols" during "sporting events and sports competitions organized by sports federations" within the framework this time of the bill aimed at democratizing sport in France.
LR parliamentarians are attacking, according to them, the “legal vacuum” surrounding this question, indicates Senator LR Michel Savin, at the forefront of this fight.
To read also "I'm tired of being afraid": they wear the veil in France and tell us
On the side of the Ministry of Sports, we deplore the "instrumentalization" of the Sports law in debate.
“At first reading in March 2021, this subject of neutrality was never addressed by parliamentarians.
It comes in a campaign context when it was debated and decided 6 months ago by Parliament itself.
If the Minister of Sports Roxana Maracineanu has not expressed a clear position on the subject, her counterpart delegate for Gender Equality, Elisabeth Moreno, has decided.
“The law says that these young girls can wear the veil and play football.
On the football fields today, it is not forbidden to wear the veil.
I want us to respect the law, ”she said on LCI on Wednesday.
The debate will be decided by the deputies themselves after a return to the Senate on February 16.