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François Bayrou appears to be backing away from his initial support for banning veils in sports competitions. While he originally endorsed the proposed legislation, the French Prime Minister expressed clear reservations about its adoption on Tuesday.
During debates in the National Assembly, Bayrou distanced himself from the bill—already approved by the Senate—which seeks to ban religious symbols in all sports competitions. Patrick Mignola, the minister responsible for parliamentary relations, also suggested the initiative wouldn’t make it onto the Assembly’s agenda. «We must not stigmatize our 9 million Muslim compatriots», Bayrou said, according to BFMTV.
A participant in the discussions told the news outlet, «Everyone understood that he was not in favor». This marks a shift from his stance two weeks ago when, during a tense meeting at Matignon, he helped mediate a disagreement among ministers. At the time, he ultimately sided with Bruno Retailleau and Gérald Darmanin.
«Back then, he stated that the government supported the Senate’s proposal but didn’t specify whether it would be brought before the National Assembly», a BFMTV source noted.
The debate over religious symbols in sports is a recurring issue in France. This latest controversy stems from a bill introduced by Senator Michel Savin (LR), which the Senate passed with 210 votes in favor and 81 against.
According to the Senate’s website, the legislation would prohibit «symbols or clothing that overtly display political or religious affiliation during competitions organized by sports federations, their professional leagues, and affiliated associations». It also seeks to prevent the «misuse of sports equipment provided by local authorities» and reinforce «neutrality and secularism in swimming pools».
Currently, regulations vary by sport. While football bans veils in competition, handball and athletics do not—leading to ongoing debate within the sports community.
