Basketball Players Urge French Authorities to Reconsider Hijab Ban Ahead of Olympics

Human rights experts and members of Basket Pour Toutes assert that the hijab ban is part of a trend by policymakers “weaponizing” France’s tradition of laïcité (secularism) to exclude Muslim women and girls from French society. They have urged lawmakers to overturn Article 9.3, which was implemented without consultation from basketball clubs.

In December 2022, the French government amended Article 9.3 of the General Sports Regulations in Basketball, prohibiting the wearing of “any equipment with a religious or political connotation” at all levels and for all categories. Rights groups have drawn parallels with laws banning the headscarf and, later, the abaya (a loose-fitting, long-sleeved robe) in public schools, enacted in 2004 and 2023, respectively.