By Ayiesha Gauher
The 33rd Olympic games commenced on 26 July 2024 in France. Athletes from across the world participated in it to represent their countries which is a matter of prestige and honour for them. However, to give their best performances they need a sound environment. The Olympic Charter enshrines, “The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” Despite this proclamation, the 2024 Paris Olympics is a source of disappointment for many French Muslim female athletes, who were prohibited from wearing hijab, thereby limiting their participation in the games due to the secularist policy followed in the country.
France follows a different variant of secularism which forbids people from expressing their religious affiliation in public spaces, emphasising the principle of equality of all the citizens. People are not allowed to wear headscarves, turbans, abayas etc., as they symbolise religious beliefs. The French brand of secularism represents a hardcore ideology which associates religion with inequality. This ideology facilitates the portrayal of religion as violent and a breeding ground for fundamentalism. The headscarf particularly has been the victim of state’s scrutiny. In 2004, the country banned headscarves in schools, and in 2010, it passed a ban on full-face veils in public. Due to these laws, Muslim women who wear hijab are unable to participate in public life reflecting the systemic oppression that they are subjected to. These laws have led to the exclusion and suppression of muslims in the French society which claims to be liberal and emancipatory. Therefore, many scholars accuse French secularism of spreading islamophobia and intolerance in the country.
The hijab particularly is seen as a symbol of violence, inequality and threat in France. The effects of such views can be felt across various spectrums of society including sports. It is banned by major sports federations, for instance, in football in 2006, in basketball in 2022 and in volleyball in 2023. According to Amnesty International, the hijab ban in sports is applied at all levels outside the Olympics. Several French athletes including French Olympic sprinter Sounkamba Sylla, were barred from attending the Olympic ceremony unless they wore a cap or styled their hijab in a way that did not signify their religious beliefs. It is argued that the athletes are civil servants as they represent the state and are bound to follow the secularist ideals of France. Such laws have contributed to limiting the participation of Muslim women in sports and their exclusion from the community. It has created a culture where hijab is seen as an anomaly that needs to be eradicated to preserve the social fabric of French society.
The IOC President, Thomas Bach, has declared the Paris Olympics as “the youngest, most inclusive, most urban and most sustainable’. However, the committee remains oblivious to the difficulties that several French athletes face and makes mockery of the Olympic Charter which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion. French athletes such as basketball player Diaba Konaté, and French Olympic sprinter Sounkamba Sylla are among many athletes who were subjected to unequal treatment due to their hijab. Such a situation puts enormous pressure on the athletes and their ostrasization for expressing their individuality. It leads to the deterioration of their mental and physical health as they are forced to choose between their beliefs and their love for sports.
The harsh laws implemented by the state lead to the alienation especially of the muslims who are forced to consider leaving the country to secure a better and safe future. French secularism fails to create a safe space for people who wish to express their religious beliefs. It is a clear example of Secularism turned to Fundamentalist and tries to limit the role of religion in the public and the private sphere, legitimises the violence committed by the state disguised as laws and justifies repression in the name of the protection of democracy.
Therefore, Secularism in France needs to be reformed and put under surveillance to ensure equality and protect the rights of people. Sports which help in bringing people together should not be enslaved by such fundamentalist policies which lead to prejudice against muslims in the country. The non acceptance of the muslim women who wear hijab has severely affected their freedom and their ability to become a part of the society which is clearly visible in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Therefore, it is important that the French society sheds its intolerant attitude towards religion to ensure equal opportunities for all its citizens and not impose restrictions on them for their beliefs.
Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
- The author is an intern at Kashmir Observer and is pursuing her Masters from Jamia Millia Islamia
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