PARIS (AP) — Female soccer players in France will not be allowed to wear headscarves while playing in international games and domestic competitions. The decision comes a day after FIFA gave permission for female Muslim players to cover their hair on the field.
The French Football Federation says Friday it is obliged to “respect the constitutional and legal principles of secularism which prevail in our country and which feature in our statutes.” Accordingly, the statement adds, the federation “does not authorize the female players to wear headscarves.”
In approving headscarves, soccer authorities reversed a ban on the Islamic hijab that’s been enforced in FIFA competitions since 2007 for safety reasons.
