Welcome to Moving the Goalposts, the Guardian’s new (and free) women’s football newsletter. Here is an excerpt from this week’s issue. To receive the full version once a week, simply enter your email address below.
Women’s football is built on a foundation of work, sweat and tears around the world to get us to where we are now – record-breaking attendances, professionalism and ever-growing interest. However, there are still many obstacles to overcome and one of them is the ban on Muslim women wearing the hijab in connection with football in France. However, this does not only affect France, but also affects how the world sees Muslim players – professionals and amateurs.
“I stopped playing soccer when I was 20 because I started wearing hijab,” says Shireen Ahmed, a Canadian sportswriter and activist. “Life without football wouldn’t be possible for me, but it’s really hard to find a re-entry point when you feel like that.”
For her, the decision not only hinders Muslim girls’ chances of becoming footballers, but also excludes them from being part of the growth of football at all levels. “It’s not just played,” she says of the situation in France. “You can’t train, you can’t officiate. You are literally locked out of the entire space. It’s brutal. There’s a clear ‘we hate Muslim women’ vibe.”
This week, Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr, a festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. But in France, as Lyon prepare for the 10th women’s Champions League final, the French Football Federation still bans women from the game because “flashy” religious symbols (including the Jewish yarmulke) are banned. “It’s part of a system of white supremacy, xenophobia, Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment,” says Ahmed. “Forbidding Muslim women with headscarves from playing sports is extremely problematic.”
Les Hijabeuses is a French collective fighting against the FFF ban to promote a more inclusive society in France. Recently, the Senate and Parliament succeeded in overturning a recent bill that included an amendment aimed at applying it to all sports in France. Now the next step is to get the FFF to change their decision.
Marion Ogier, a lawyer working for Les Hijabeuses, says: “The French Parliament decided to ban the wearing of religious symbols in sports competitions, but the decision did not lead to the FFF reviewing its rules. The State Council [the highest court in France for administrative matters] is currently examining an appeal against the association.” Ogier points out that the government is not responsible for the current ban, but the FFF. Les Hijabeuses expect a decision on the matter by the end of the year.
Ogier finds that the FFF “subjects participants in football competitions to a principle of neutrality” and it seems to show that the people making the decisions are unfamiliar with the needs, choices and desires of those they are trying to “save”.
The issue goes beyond the right to play football and whether or not to wear a hijab. It also goes beyond the Muslim communities in France. Ahmed says: “Isolating Muslim women is a problem. We have the same fight. They are my sisters whether they wear a bikini, a burkini or a burqa. I will advocate for their inclusion in football. Women should have a place and they should have the opportunity and the right to participate.”
A ban on hijab means there is no real sense of belonging for Muslim women. “Football is truly a global language and a means of inclusion for so many people,” says Ahmed. “Why on earth would we exclude certain people?” She says that having a diverse lineup in decision-making is key to progress. “Muslim women are not all monolithic, we are not all the same. I think the most important thing is to actually include Muslim women in the discussion.”
conversation topics
Street down: We are getting closer and closer to the 32 teams that will be battling for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year. Four teams of the Africa Cup of Nations 2022 in Morocco, which takes place in July, will secure their tickets and now we know the groups. Hosts Morocco are joined in Group A by Burkina Faso, Senegal and Uganda; Cameroon, Zambia, Tunisia and Togo are in Group B; and 11-time champions Nigeria meet South Africa, Burundi and Botswana in Group C.
South Africa’s Linda Motlhalo took on the Netherlands last month. Photo: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock
Fans for the women’s game: The Football Supporters’ Association created its Women’s Game Strategy to give supporters a say in the development of women’s football. Its mission is to develop women’s football while ensuring that fans participate in decision-making processes and push for positive change. The document – which you can read here – outlines strategies for improving supporter engagement within four pillars: Diversity, Sustainability, Education and Development.
A more inclusive football: Brockwell United, a south London grassroots club also known as the Swans, continue their efforts to make football more inclusive for women and non-binary players. This week they released their new kits designed by illustrator Donatella Esposito (she/her) with a style that reminds us of the classic kits of the 1990s. BUFC Chairwoman Ellie Levitt (she/she) says: “As we see interest in women’s football continue to grow nationally and locally, we hope that moments like the Women’s Euros tournament will inspire the next generation of women and Non-binaries will be inspired by people who see this as a sport for them – we’ll be waiting with open arms.” Check out the kits on the Instagram page.
Do you have a question for our authors – or would you like to suggest a topic? Email [email protected]
Comments are closed.