“The representatives of our delegations in our French teams will not wear a veil,” said French Minister for Sports Amélie Oudéa-Castéra regarding the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The French government’s attitude towards players wearing the hijab during sporting events was confirmed by the Minister France 3 on Sunday, as the Olympics approach.
“Thanks to the recent decision of the Council of State, we have expressed very clearly our attachment to a regime of strict secularism, applied strictly in the field of sport,” said the French minister.
Strict secularism means the prohibition of any form of proselytism and the absolute neutrality of the public service.
The French Council of State agreed to continue the prohibition of the Islamic veil during events hosted by the French Football Federation (FFF) in a decision made in June.
The French Council of State stated in a press release that “sports federations, responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of the public service whose management is entrusted to them, may impose on their players an obligation of neutrality of outfits during competitions and sporting events to guarantee the smooth running of matches and prevent any confrontation.”
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) lifted its ban on hijabs in 2014.
The upcoming international multi-sport event known as Paris 2024 is officially taking place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.