France: Top Court upholds ban on Women Football Players wearing Hijab

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The ban on women football players wearing Islamic hijab was upheld by France's top administrative court on Thursday (June 30). The issue in the country was seized on by politicians claiming secularism was at risk.

The Constitutional Council in a statement said, "Sporting federations whose task is to ensure the good functioning of public services... can impose a neutrality requirement on their players in competitions and sporting events, to guarantee the smooth running of matches and any clashes or confrontation."

The French Football Federation's (FFF) rule is against "any sign or clothing clearly showing political, philosophical, religious or union affiliation" during play and doesn't consider it to be "appropriate and proportionate".

The issue began when a group of Muslim women footballers, calling themselves the "Hijabeuses", challenged the FFF regulation to launch an action. As mainstream parties looked to fend off the far right riding high in the polls, the judges also found themselves under political pressure ahead of the ruling.

Secularism is a sensitive topic in France, presented by its defenders as a way of guaranteeing the state's religious neutrality and by critics as a dog whistle against ethnic and religious minorities, especially Muslims.

On Monday, the "Hijabeuses" got a major shot in the arm, when the state's legal advisor claimed the rule was unjustified, prompting a wave of political condemnation.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, a law-and-order hardliner, said, "You shouldn't wear religious clothing when you play sports... when you play football, you don't need to know the religion of the person in front of you."

Other voices from the conservative Republicans party and far-right National Rally have also chimed in. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen wrote on Twitter: "No to the hijab in sport. And we will pass a law to make sure it is respected."

(With Inputs from agencies)