a new text to prohibit the wearing of religious signs

► What is the current situation?

To date, sports federations have the ability to ban outfits and religious signs in their competitions – whether local or national – but do not have the obligation. Thus the French Football Federation has proscribed since 2016 not only any act of proselytism or propaganda, but also “Port of sign or outfit ostensibly manifesting political, philosophical, religious or union affiliation” in matches.

In 2021, an association of veiled sportsmen, the hijabeuses, had challenged this ban. Against all expectations, the Council of State had agreed to the FFF in 2023, judging that a ban on signs in particular religious limited to matches (therefore not for training or the life of the club) “Appeared necessary to ensure their smooth running by preventing any confrontation or confrontation unrelated to sport”.

Consequently, several sports federations, such as that of basketball, have taken measures in this sense, when others, like the athletics or judo federations, remained awaiting a clear legislative framework on the question .

► What does the bill say?

The text proposes to make the prohibition on the wearing of religious signs compulsory, for all federations. “This text tends to install a form of homogenization between all the federations and to give a clear legal framework”, Explains the Senator Les Républicains Stéphane Piednoir, who brings the proposal adopted in the Committee on Culture, Education, Communication and Sport, June 5, 2024.

In addition to concerning all the 119 federations approved by the State, the bill also specifies the field of the prohibition: all the departmental, regional and national competitions are concerned. But not training, which regrets the vice-president of the Ile-de-France regional council in charge of sports, Patrick Karam: “There is a certain hypocrisy for a licensee wearing the veil in training and kidnapping it in competition as the law would intimate it. »»

“First of all, we target people who, by their visibility, must show the example and all the possible neutrality on sports fields”, Responds Stéphane Piednoir. If the question of training has been raised in committee, “Its members considered that there was no particular exhibition to the public, specifies the senator. In absolute terms, we could hope that the same rule applies all the time. »»

► A law that makes consensus?

In a platform published at the end of January in Releasesocialist senator Corinne Narassiguin denounces “Exclusion practices” And “A climate of relentlessness with regard to veiled women”. “The prohibition relates to both religious and political outfits and signsnotes Médéric Chapitaux, Doctor of Sociology, member of the Council of Sages of Secularism and Author of the Book When Islamism penetrates sport (1). A licensee that tackles a T-shirt bearing the image of a far-right party would also have no place in a club. »»

Faced with community risk, Stéphane Piednoir considers that it is urgent to act: “We know that the two main communitarianism vectors are sport and schoolhe points out. Especially because young people are in search of identity. It is necessary to arm against the drifts. »»

► What are the other provisions provided by law?

The new text will formally impose respect for the principles of neutrality within the changing rooms, preventing any collective prayer, as well as the wearing of outfits, such as the burkini, deemed contrary to the principle of secularism, in swimming pools and bathing areas.

The text also provides for the possibility for a prefect to suspend the approval of a sports association which would deliberately escape the obligations put in place by law, and pleads for the carrying out of administrative surveys prior to the issuance of the professional card of ‘Sports educator.