French constitutional council upholds ban on women football players wearing hijab

Paris: France's top administrative court, the Constitutional Council, has upheld a ban on women football players wearing hijab on the field.

The decision came after the issue sparked political debates, with some politicians arguing that secularism was being threatened. The Council stated that sporting federations, such as the French Football Federation (FFF), have the authority to impose neutrality requirements on players during matches to ensure smooth operations.

According to the Constitutional Council, the FFF's rule prohibiting "any sign or clothing clearly showing political, philosophical, religious, or union affiliation" during play is considered "appropriate and proportionate." The ban was challenged by a group of Muslim women footballers known as the "Hijabeuses."

The judges faced political pressure leading up to the ruling, as mainstream parties sought to counter the rising influence of far-right factions. Secularism is a sensitive topic in France, with proponents seeing it as a means to uphold the state's religious neutrality, while critics view it as discriminatory against ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Muslims, reported AFP.

Earlier this week, the "Hijabeuses" received a boost when the state's legal advisor deemed the ban unjustified, triggering widespread political condemnation. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, known for his tough stance on law and order, expressed his hope for the court to uphold neutrality on sports fields, adding that the "Hijabeuses" aimed to challenge the principles of the republic. In response to the criticism aimed at the administrative branch and the legal advisor, the Constitutional Council defended itself against what it deemed as "attacks" on Wednesday.

Various voices from the conservative Republican party and the far-right National Rally have also joined the debate.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right party, tweeted, "No to the hijab in sport. And we will pass a law to make sure it is respected." Eric Ciotti, head of the Republicans, stated that his party would introduce a bill on the topic if the court permitted the hijab. Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera suggested that the government of President Emmanuel Macron could consider legislation, stating, "We aren't ruling anything out," and emphasising the need for clarification.