In France, a new generation of Muslim women basketball players is refusing to sit on the sidelines. After the French Basketball Federation banned the wearing of religious symbols — including the hijab — on the court, players and coaches came together to launch a movement called Basketball for All. Their mission is simple but powerful: to prove that sport should unite, not exclude.
A Ban That Silences Dreams
When 24-year-old Hélène, a basketball player from the suburbs of Paris, arrived at a local gym to play with her teammates, she didn’t expect to be told she couldn’t compete.
It wasn’t because she was injured or had broken any rule — her only “offense” was wearing a sports hijab.
“The referee said I couldn’t play. My coach told me the federation had banned headscarves. It felt like a quiet kind of exclusion — a punishment for who I am,” she recalled in a recent interview.
Since December 2022, the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) has prohibited players, referees and coaches from displaying any “religious or political symbols.” The decision was justified in the name of laïcité, France’s strict version of secularism. But for players like Hélène, the ban has only deepened the feeling of being pushed out of public life.
“Sport should be about freedom and equality,” she said. “Instead, it has become a mirror of discrimination.”
The Birth of a Movement
In 2023, Hélène and a group of fellow players and coaches decided to fight back. Together, they founded Basketball for All — or Basket pour Toutes in French — a grassroots movement that organises independent, inclusive tournaments where women can play freely, hijab or not.
“We wanted to show that basketball belongs to everyone,” said coach Timothée Gauthierot, one of the group’s founders.
“When the federation’s rule came down, hijabi players were forced off the court. In protest, entire teams refused to play. It was a symbolic act of unity.”
Their stand soon attracted attention. Amnesty International and several human-rights groups expressed support, calling the federation’s rule “discriminatory and unjustified.” The French National Olympic Committee has also acknowledged that the ban has no real legal or safety basis.
Playing Freely — and Defiantly
Today, Basketball for All runs its own games, welcoming around 200 players from diverse backgrounds. The movement has partnered with the French Workers’ Sports Federation (FSGT) to launch a new championship that allows women to play with headscarves.
According to Gauthierot, the issue goes beyond sportswear:
“This isn’t about rules or uniforms. It’s about identity, about saying to young Muslim women that they belong on the court, too.”
For many of the players, the movement has restored more than just their right to play — it has revived their confidence. “Some girls had stopped training completely,” Hélène said. “Now they’re back, stronger, and they know they’re not alone.”
Looking Ahead
Despite ongoing restrictions and political pressure, Basketball for All continues to grow. The group is campaigning for wider reforms and hopes that the next generation of athletes won’t have to choose between their faith and their passion.
“Women in France have fought hard for equality,” Hélène said. “But Muslim women are still waiting for that promise to include them. We’re not giving up — our resistance is part of the game now.”
From: shabestan