The French football and basketball federations have come under fire from UN-appointed Human Rights Council experts for barring players who wear the hijab from participation even at the amateur level.

Additionally, they denounced the French government’s decision to prohibit French athletes from competing in the Paris Olympics last summer while wearing hijabs.

Experts argue that France’s hijab laws restrict people’s capacity to engage in cultural activities and violate their freedom to express their identity, religion, and beliefs. These actions not only violate individual liberties but also go against France’s stated pledges to inclusivity.

The experts stated; “The neutrality and secular nature of the State are not legitimate grounds for imposing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. Any limitations of these freedoms must be proportionate, necessary to reach one of the objectives stated in international law”

Stigmatization risks

The Senate’s proposed law to further restrict the usage of the hijab in public, as well as the French Conseil d’État’s decision to uphold the football federation’s hijab ban, has drawn criticism from independent experts.

These experts warn that such actions run the risk of portraying the hijab as a threat to public order, which could reinforce stereotypes and stigmatize Muslim women and girls.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights brought this important issue to the attention of the UN General Assembly in a report.