While the French Senate passed a bill in mid-February, proposed by the Republicans and supported by the executive, to ban religious symbols in all sports competitions, Sports Minister Marie Barsacq has expressed her reservations, according to Libération. During a hearing before deputies on Wednesday, March 12, she cautioned against «confusions» and «amalgamations» between wearing the veil and radicalization in sports, distancing herself from a bill supported by Interior Minister François-Noël Buffet. «The issues of radicalization in sports are separate from the issue of wearing the veil and religious symbols», she stated. She reminded that her ministry's priority was to «ensure access to sports for everyone» and emphasized that sports should remain «a tool for empowerment». Just last week, she had stated that banning the veil in amateur sports was «not a priority» for the government. Relying on a guide intended for sports associations, the minister stressed the importance of avoiding oversimplifications. «Secularism is not just about wearing or not wearing the veil», she declared. «Wearing the veil is not infiltration. Infiltration is not just about wearing the veil. These issues are complicated». Marie Barsacq This stance contrasts with the position held by certain sports federations, notably in football, where the veil is banned, while it is permitted in other disciplines, such as handball.
