The French government plans to ban female sports players from wearing hijab
What happened:
On January 19, the French Senate voted in favor of banning the wearing of headscarves in sports competitions. The French Senators state, “The wearing of conspicuous religious symbols is prohibited from taking part in events and competitions organized by sports federations.” One hundred sixty votes approved the law barring players from wearing the hijab to 143 votes in the upper house of parliament.
Details:
The French Senators have also said that this legislation will allow religious neutrality as the amendment read, “There is legal uncertainty about the wearing of religious symbols, and it is necessary for the state to define the rules clearly.” At the same time, the amendment is quoted by Independent UK as, “If the wearing of the veil is not explicitly forbidden, we could see the emergence of community sports clubs promoting certain religious signs.”
What you need to know:
Subsequently, the French Senators have said that wearing headscarves may prove to be a safety hazard while playing the sport. It is pertinent to mention that the Independent UK report quotes, “France has become embroiled in controversy over bills that critics say restrict religious freedoms. After outlawing religious symbols in schools in 2004, the country imposed a ban on full-face veils in public in 2011.”
