“Sport & Rights Alliance Urges Reversal of Hijab Ban in French Basketball for Inclusive Play on International Women’s Day”
The Sport & Rights Alliance is calling on French basketball authorities to revoke the discriminatory ban on wearing the hijab, ensuring equal access to the sport for Muslim women and girls. On International Women’s Day, the Alliance urges global sports officials to prioritize inclusivity and eliminate discrimination in sports.
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Sport & Rights Alliance
Former member of the youth French national team, Diaba Konaté, currently playing in the US, expressed her dilemma, facing potential exclusion from the sport due to the existing guidelines of the French Federation of Basketball. Professional basketball player Layshia Clarendon from the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA emphasized that no individual should have to choose between their faith and the sport they love.
Terri Jackson, executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) in the US, stressed the importance of athletes being able to practice both their faith and the sport they love. Over 80 athletes, including WNBA star Breanna Stewart and Olympic medalist Ibitihaj Muhammad, published an open letter urging the French Federation of Basketball (FFBB) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to overturn the hijab ban.
Andrea Florence, director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, echoed the athletes’ calls to end the discrimination against Muslim women and girls in France. The Alliance emphasizes the need for the French Basketball Federation to align with the principles of Olympism as the Paris 2024 Olympics approach.
The French Federation introduced Article 9.3 in December 2022, reinforcing its discriminatory stance by prohibiting the wearing of “any equipment with a religious or political connotation.” Despite FIBA overturning its ban on certain headwear in 2017, the French Federation continued to enforce its discriminatory rules, leading to increased exclusions of Muslim girls and women from sports.
The Alliance contends that such rules not only undermine efforts to make women’s sports more inclusive but also violate the human rights of affected individuals. Amnesty International’s Monica Costa Riba stressed the importance of global and national sporting authorities ensuring their policies are free from racism and discrimination.
The ban on religious garments violates the rights of Muslim athletes under various international human rights laws and standards. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights criticized the French government in September 2023 for banning French athletes from wearing a hijab at the 2024 Olympic Games. In October, six UN human rights experts expressed concerns about the exclusion of Muslim women and girls from various aspects of life due to bans on religious headwear.
The Sport & Rights Alliance emphasizes the urgency for the French Federation to act and ensure that all women and girls, regardless of their religious beliefs, can fully participate in and benefit from the opportunities provided by sports.
