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France, the birthplace of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, claims to be a model of universality, yet it excludes a portion of its female citizens. Its strict stance against the veil in sports highlights how selectively its humanistic principles are applied. Under the guise of neutrality and equality, the state is actually upholding a narrow vision of secularism, which leads to intentional discrimination.
For years, this policy has drawn significant international criticism. In October 2024, UN experts called the ban on the veil in sports «discriminatory» and a violation of fundamental freedoms, accusing France of failing to justify these restrictions with clear legal imperatives. Despite these warnings, the government persists, gradually institutionalizing this exclusion.
Sports federations are following suit. The French Football Federation (FFF) and the French Rugby Federation have already banned the veil in their competitions. In January, the French Rugby Federation (FRR) prohibited conspicuous religious symbols, effectively barring veiled players from Saint-Denis Rugby 93 from pursuing their passion. This decision extends the 2021 law that allows federations to impose strict religious neutrality.
But the push doesn’t stop there. In February 2025, the Senate examined a bill aimed at explicitly banning all religious symbols in sports. Officially, it seeks to resolve a «legal gray area». Unofficially, the goal is clear: to permanently exclude veiled athletes from high-level competitions, making them invisible.
A Governmental Cacophony
This ideological escalation has caused division within the government. Marie Barsacq, the Minister Delegate for Sports, publicly opposed the blanket ban. «We must not exclude women from sports», she declared, emphasizing that sports should be a space for freedom and empowerment. She was supported by Minister of National Education Élisabeth Borne. However, both women faced opposition from Gérald Darmanin, Minister of Justice, and Bruno Retailleau, Minister of the Interior, who are strong advocates for a total ban in the name of a rigid interpretation of secularism.
Yes, I want all religious symbols, including the wearing of the veil, to be permanently banned in sports competitions. pic.twitter.com/KVWak8d936
— Bruno Retailleau (@BrunoRetailleau) March 19, 2025
This governmental discord highlights the ideological deadlock in France. Should the country defend an inclusive version of secularism that allows all women to participate in sports, or a coercive secularism that excludes them based on a dogmatic vision? At present, the latter approach prevails, disregarding the very principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity that France claims to uphold.
The State on the Sidelines
After the veil, the issue of breaks for fasting footballers has become a new point of contention. Every year, the question resurfaces: should Muslim players be allowed to pause briefly to hydrate after sunset during Ramadan? In France, the choice has been made to avoid tolerance.
The French Football Federation (FFF) decided in 2023 to reject these game breaks, unlike other European leagues such as the Premier League in England or the Bundesliga in Germany, which have taken a more pragmatic approach. What could have remained a purely sporting decision has instead turned into a political issue, revealing a distinctly French obsession: regulating every detail of sports, even at the cost of creating problems where none existed.
This regulatory zeal becomes even more absurd when it specifically targets certain religious practices. Professional footballers, assisted by medical teams, manage their diet and hydration based on their physiological needs. So why ban a brief pause that doesn’t disrupt the game and is accepted elsewhere in Europe? This artificial debate distracts from a more worrying reality: a desire to control bodies, with the state seeking to dictate even how an athlete should eat or dress.
French Contradictions
By legislating every detail, France finds itself trapped in its own contradictions. Should all accommodations be banned in the name of neutrality, or should we recognize that sports can adjust to cultural and religious practices without betraying their core values?
Some voices, though still too rare in the French political landscape, advocate for a more pragmatic approach: returning to the true essence of secularism, which guarantees everyone freedom of conscience, without discrimination. In other words, it’s time for France to stop stigmatizing part of its population under the guise of neutrality and reconcile with its own principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
