France’s Proposed Hijab Ban in Sports Sparks Outrage, LFI’s Raphaël Arnault Slams "Islamophobic" Move

March 6, 2025 – A French parliamentary report advocating a ban on the hijab in sports competitions has ignited a fierce backlash, with La France Insoumise (LFI) MP Raphaël Arnault denouncing it as an "Islamophobic" measure that unfairly targets Muslims. Released on Wednesday, March 5, the findings of a flash inquiry into "communautarist and Islamist drifts" in sports have deepened divisions, pitting the left against a coalition of centrist and right-wing lawmakers.

?️ Ce matin en commission nouveau rapport islamophobe, cette fois-ci dans le sport, par le RN et macronistes.

Il y a quelques années ces offensives racistes sortaient tout droit des caves de Génération Identitaire.

Dans la rue jusqu’à l’Assemblée : dégageons-les ↙️↙️↙️ pic.twitter.com/IHUF29HReg — Raphaël Arnault (@ArnaultRaphael) March 5, 2025

The report, presented by National Rally (RN) MP Julien Odoul and Ensemble pour la République (EPR) MP Caroline Yadan to the Cultural Affairs Committee, calls for stricter measures to combat Islamism in sports. "Marianne [symbol of the French Republic] must toughen its stance against Islamism, which should not be confused with Islam. The issue is not Islam itself, but Islamism—a religious perversion fostering a counter-society where Republican rules yield to Sharia," the rapporteurs argued. They hailed the Senate’s recent adoption of a bill banning religious symbols, including the hijab, in competitive sports as a step forward.

Arnault’s Fiery Rebuke

Raphaël Arnault, the LFI deputy from Vaucluse, fiercely criticized the report, accusing the government and right-wing factions of stigmatizing Muslims. In a provocative comparison, he likened the hijab ban to Vichy-era antisemitic laws, stating, "It’s the same pattern repeating itself. A century ago, we saw this essentialization of a group as an internal enemy." Arnault took to X, writing, "This morning, yet another Islamophobic report in committee, this time targeting sports, by RN and Macronists. A few years ago, such racist attacks came straight from the basements of Génération Identitaire."

The MP’s remarks reflect broader outrage from the French left, which views the ban as discriminatory and exclusionary. "This is an alliance of Macronists and the far-right to bar part of the population from sports," Arnault charged.

A Wider Crackdown on Religious Symbols

The hijab debate in sports is not new. While the French Football Federation already prohibits headscarves on the field, other sports like handball permit them, creating inconsistent regulations. The Senate’s bill seeks to standardize rules by banning all religious symbols in competitions nationwide. Beyond the hijab, the proposal includes measures to enforce secularism in sports facilities, such as prohibiting prayers in municipal gyms and banning attire like the burkini in public pools—a garment whose approval in Grenoble was struck down by the Council of State in 2022.

Backed by the government and conservative lawmakers, the bill is slated for debate in the National Assembly soon. However, the left vows a fierce fight, with Arnault pledging to "stand in the legacy of resisting Islamophobia."

A Polarized Debate

The report and proposed law underscore France’s ongoing struggle to balance its strict secular principles—known as laïcité—with accusations of discrimination against its Muslim population. Supporters argue the measures protect the neutrality of public spaces, while critics, including Arnault, see them as a veiled attack on religious freedom.

As the issue heads to the Assembly, it promises to fuel a contentious national conversation, with implications for France’s social fabric and its approach to multiculturalism.