Women speak out against hijab bans: "When sport denies the hijab, it denies women themselves"

Forcing women out of clothes is just as dangerous as forcing women into clothes. 

This was among the main takeaways in Monday’s parallel session titled 'Who can wear what? The Hijab ban and questions of inclusion in sports', where several veiled participants questioned the concept of “neutrality” and the double standards they face as Muslim women and athletes. 

Khayran Noor, a founding director of Sports Legal and advocate for advancing legal standards in the sports industry across Africa, described the hijab as “more than a piece of fabric.” It is a form of religious expression, a cultural identity, and an ethnic marker. Banning female athletes from wearing the hijab in competition, as is the case in France, only serves to disempower women by denying them the right to choose how to present themselves. 

“When sport denies a place for [the hijab], it denies a space for women themselves,” Noor concluded. 

Noor’s remarks were followed by her colleague, Sandra Aanya, who described the implications of the hijab ban, including forced emigration and career displacement, withdrawal of Muslim women from sports, and a loss of a growing and personate demographic. 

“Does the player wearing a hijab really pose a threat to others?” Aanya asked rhetorically during the session. 

Among the policy reforms that Aanya suggested were inclusive policy development, gender-responsive uniform designs, diversification of leadership, and education and cultural competency training.

France’s hijab ban excludes many Muslim women from sports

Frank Conde Tandberg, a policy advisor for Amnesty International Norway, spoke about France’s hijab ban and how his organisation is challenging that decision. 

Tandberg explained how young Muslim women are being forced to choose between their religion and their identity on one hand, and their dreams of becoming an athlete and the joy of participating in sports on the other - a humiliating experience that leads to exclusion and a range of physical and mental health issues. 

Tangberg also delved into France’s aggressive implementation of the hijab ban, noting how French authorities retaliated against athletes and activists who protested the ban. Ultimately, he noted, such bans hold no “legitimate purpose.” 

“The battle is still on, and the hijab ban needs to go.” 

Hélène Bâ, an athlete and human rights advocate leading global campaigns against discrimination in French sports, followed up on Tandberg’s comments by dismantling the “myth” of neutrality and how it was weaponised to exclude French Muslim women from wearing the hijab. 

“This is the most hypocritical thought ever,” Bâ said. “Sports and sports competition are based on differentiation by age, gender, weight, height, money, race, and religion.” 

Bâ explained how France’s hijab ban has effectively excluded her and many others from participating in their favourite sports.  

“I am not able to watch a basketball game, support my friends, or attend a game,” she said.  

Bâ further dismantled claims of neutrality in sports by highlighting the Islamophobic undercurrents that run through French society and politics. In one such example, French Minister of Interior, Bruno Retailleau, declared at a meeting held “against Islamism” in Paris, “Long live sports and down with the veil.”

Holding sports accountable 

Nikki Dryden, a human rights lawyer and former competitive swimmer who represented Canada at two consecutive Summer Olympics, shifted beyond the hijab ban to determine how to hold sports accountable for racial abuse and the need to move “beyond slogans.”

Dryden explained that slogans such as “Say No to Racism” are useful in raising awareness but stop short of real change. They focus on appearances, not solutions and are easily dismissed or weaponised due to their ambiguity and lack of focus. 

Dryden also tackled the concept of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and how it was a limited approach that lacked a binding human rights framework. This is how issues like the hijab ban still occur. Instead, sports must adopt enforceable frameworks aligned with international law. Athletes and marginalised voices must shape this system, not just be the subjects of them. 

As a white Canadian woman, Dryden admitted that there were far fewer barriers preventing her from participating in sports than her fellow Muslim women panelists. She argued that those in positions of privilege like herself need to be better allies, willing to listen, step aside, and follow the lead of those affected by the system. 

“Use your privilege responsibly,” she said.