Strict veil ban in sports under review by French Senate
The bill will first be reviewed by the Commission of Culture, Communication, Education, and Sport. The rapporteur, Stéphane Piednoir, clarified that the ban would apply to «departmental, regional, and national competitions organized by the 120 approved federations», according to Le Figaro. The bill also addresses what it calls «diversions» of the principle of secularism, stating that «using part of a sports facility as a prayer room would constitute a diversion of its use».
Article 3 of the bill specifically addresses sports clothing, particularly items considered Muslim religious symbols, such as the «burkini» in public pools and beaches. It recommends banning these items due to «breach of public order and the proper functioning of a public service». According to Francetv Info, the government will support the bill «provided that the majority's amendments» are passed.
So far, federations have had the discretion to ban what they consider religious symbols in certain competitions. The French Football Federation (FFF) and the French Rugby Federation are among those that have already implemented these bans. If the bill is passed, athletics and handball will also be impacted.
Officially, French institutions have already paved the way, guiding practices for over a year. After a long legal battle, the Council of State ruled on June 29, 2023, validating the FFF's decision to «ban any sign or attire manifesting an ostensible affiliation to a political, philosophical, religious, or trade union during sports competitions», in line with article 1 of the body's regulations, which has integrated the principle of neutrality since 2016.
In contrast to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which does not ban head coverings during competitions, France has decided that its athletes will not wear the veil at the 2024 Paris Olympics, citing secularism. Over time, no less than eight sports and human rights organizations have opposed this measure, which has not been applied to athletes from other countries.
The French government has faced criticism from experts appointed by UN bodies, who argue that the decisions against wearing the veil in sports have been unjustified. According to them, the French state «has taken no measures to ensure that the bans adopted by sports federations are proportionate and based on grounds recognized in international law to justify a limitation of human rights».
With the ongoing examination of this bill, the debate over the issue of the veil in sports competitions is far from settled.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
2 hours ago
- Morocco World
US Senators Applaud Strong, Strategic Ties with Morocco
Rabat – During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington, several US senators spoke of the deep and strategic partnership between the United States and Morocco. The hearing was held to confirm Duke Buchan III as the new US Ambassador to Morocco. Senators from both major parties noted Morocco's importance as one of America's oldest allies and a key partner in Africa and beyond. Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, a senior member of the committee, said Morocco is a vital and long-time ally located at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. He commended Morocco's leadership in regional security and the fight against terrorism, as well as its efforts to promote socio-economic development and peaceful coexistence. Morocco and the United States are 'historic' partners who share a strong desire to deepen cooperation in many areas, Hagerty stated. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also spoke highly of the US-Morocco relationship. He said the ties between the two countries remain strong and stable, calling Morocco a leading country in the region and beyond in the eyes of the United States. Another Democratic senator, Jacky Rosen, pointed to the importance of growing cooperation between the two countries, especially in new and critical areas such as cybersecurity and energy. Duke Buchan III, the ambassador nominee, also addressed the committee. He described Morocco as a 'pillar of stability,' and said the country plays a key role in supporting US national security due to its strategic location. Buchan was officially nominated in March by President Donald Trump. If confirmed, he will take over as the new American ambassador in Rabat.
Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
France Airdrops Aid to Gaza as Calls Grow for Israel to Open Crossings
Rabat – France has begun airdropping food into Gaza, where people are facing severe hunger and growing signs of famine. French President Emmanuel Macron said 40 tons of humanitarian aid were being dropped by air, but warned that this was not enough. 'Faced with the absolute urgency, we have just conducted a food airdrop operation in Gaza,' Macron wrote on social media platform X. He thanked Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Germany for their help. But he added: 'Airdrops are not enough. Israel must open full humanitarian access to address the risk of famine.' The French government is sending four flights from Jordan, each carrying 10 tons of aid to Gaza. While the airdrops are meant to help people quickly, some aid leaders have criticized them as expensive and inefficient. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), said the airdrops cost 100 times more than aid delivered by trucks but only carry half as much. 'If there is political will to allow airdrops, which are highly costly, insufficient, and inefficient, there should be similar political will to open the road crossings,' Lazzarini wrote. He added that 6,000 trucks filled with aid are waiting at Gaza's borders. 'As the people of Gaza are starving to death, the only way to respond to the famine is to flood Gaza with assistance,' he said. 'Let's go back to what works and let us do our job.' Humanitarian workers inside Gaza say the situation remains critical. Olga Cherevko, from the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that while Israel has allowed a bit more aid to enter, the amount is still far from enough. 'The slight increase in what is coming in is not nearly enough to even scratch the surface to meet the people's needs here on the ground,' Cherevko said from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. She said that Palestinians are still suffering from extreme hunger, malnutrition, and hopelessness. One of the biggest problems, she said, is that the UN must coordinate every step of the aid process with Israel, which often delays or blocks the deliveries. 'People are continuing to starve, malnutrition rates continue to go up, people are risking their lives to get food, and there's no real change,' she said. Meanwhile, Israeli Occupation Forces have killed at least 42 people in Gaza since early this morning, according to local hospital sources. They said that at least 15 of those killed were people who had gone out to look for aid. Tags: FranceGazaIsraelPalestine
Morocco World
8 hours ago
- Morocco World
President Ouattara's Fourth-Term Bid Is a Test for Fragile Ivorian Democracy
Rabat – Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, 83, has announced that he will seek a fourth Presidential term in the West African nation's upcoming elections. In June, he had been officially nominated as the candidate for the ruling Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace party. Ouattara justified this announcement, which both many leading Ivorian politicians and watchers of Ivorian politics have strongly denounced as an unfortunate development and a betrayal of the president's earlier vision for democratic governance, by citing the new constitution passed in 2016. Since his hardfought, crisis-ladden election in 2011, President Outtara has served three controversial terms. But with the adoption of the new constitution in 2016, his camp interestingly though ultimately controversially and unconvincingly argues that the upcoming election, which he is expected to win, will legally be a second term for the president. Potentially legal but ultimately illegitimate Critics have maintained that while the president's candidacy might be legal because of the clean slate effect the new constitution has had on his presidential tenure, his defiant bid to stay president is unwelcome and illegitimate. The election will take place on October 25, 2025, and is set to determine the future of democracy in Ivory Coast. President Ouattara announced his re-election bid announcement during a televised speech on Tuesday. 'For several months, I have received numerous calls from fellow citizens regarding my potential candidacy in the presidential election, women and young people from all regions of Cote d'Ivoire,' he offered. 'I announced on June 22 that as president of Ivorians I would after careful reflection make a decision guided solely by the best interest of the nation.' This comes as the president has launched what critics and opposition leaders have described as a campaign of oppression and authoritarian control tightening his increasingly dictatorial grip on the Ivorian political scene. Several opposition candidates have in recent months been banned from running for president for a number of unclear reasons. The most notable are former president Luarent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, a celebrated banker and capable technocrat many saw as the favorite to win the presidency. Ouattara disqualified Thiam, whom even his camp saw as the president's most formidable opponent, over claims that he had not renounced his French citizenship before filing his application to run for the presidency. Under Ivorian electoral law, presidential candidates cannot hold dual citizenship. Violence is common during elections in the Ivory Coast. The fiercely contested 2011 elections that handed Ouattara his first controversial mandate saw a post-electoral unrest in which at least 3000 died. Human rights organisations have accused the president of destroying Ivorian democracy and leading to a massive democratic decline in the West African country. Tags: Alassane OuattaraCote d'Ivoire
