French Muslim Weightlifter Faces Uncertainty Amid Proposed Hijab Ban in Sports
Sylvie Eberena, a 44-year-old French Muslim weightlifter, achieved the title of French national champion in her amateur category last year, having discovered the sport at age 40. However, as she lifts weights above her head while wearing a hijab, she is facing uncertainty due to the French government’s proposed legislation that seeks to ban headscarves in sports competitions. This law threatens her ability to continue competing.
Eberena expressed frustration with the situation, stating, “It feels like they’re trying to limit our freedoms each time a little more. It’s frustrating because all we want is to do sport.”
Under France’s secular laws, individuals representing the country or in certain professional roles, including athletes, are prohibited from wearing overt religious symbols like the Christian cross, Jewish kippah, Sikh turban, or the Muslim headscarf (hijab). While individual national sports federations had previously been allowed to decide on the hijab, the new legislation aims to ban the head covering across all professional and amateur competitions in the country.
Supporters of the bill argue it would standardize regulations, strengthen secularism, and counter extremism, while critics view it as another form of discrimination against visibly Muslim women. The bill passed in the Senate in February and is now headed for a vote in the lower house of parliament.
Some backers believe the law addresses what they term “Islamist encroachment,” a reaction to recent jihadist attacks in France. However, critics point to a 2022 report by the French Interior Ministry that found no significant trend of radicalization within sports.
Prominent athletes, including French Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner, have criticized the bill. Riner called it a “waste of time,” suggesting that France should focus on equality rather than targeting one religion. Right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau countered, calling the headscarf a “symbol of submission.”
For Eberena, who converted to Islam at age 19, the hijab has never been an issue in weightlifting. “Sport brings us together,” she says, noting that it helps break down prejudices. The sport has even allowed her to build friendships with people from diverse backgrounds.
Other sports, such as football and basketball, have already imposed bans on religious symbols, including the hijab. In 2023, the country’s highest administrative court upheld the football ban, citing a “neutrality requirement.”
The legislation’s potential impact on women who wear the hijab in sports is unclear. Some women, like Samia Bouljedri, have already been affected. After Bouljedri began wearing the hijab while playing football, her team was fined multiple times, and she was eventually forced to choose between removing her headscarf or quitting the game.
France’s secularism, rooted in a 1905 law separating church and state, has been increasingly criticized for being weaponized against Muslims in recent years. Rim-Sarah Alouane, a researcher at the University of Toulouse Capitole, explains that secularism has transformed into a tool to limit the visibility of religion in public spaces, with Muslims being the primary target.
Sports Minister Marie Barsacq has warned against conflating the hijab with radicalization in sports. However, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin insists that defending secularism is necessary to prevent empowering the far-right.
Audrey Devaux, a 24-year-old in Oise, stopped competing in basketball after converting to Islam, instead focusing on coaching. Despite her commitment to the sport, she is not allowed on the courtside bench while wearing a hijab, forcing her to give instructions from the bleachers. Devaux believes that secularism should be about coexistence and respect for all religions, not exclusion.
