24-year-old Diaba Konate moved to the United States in 2018, and has played basketball for both Idaho State and the UC Irvine Anteaters. She has previously urged politicians in France to lift the ban on religious garments in sport. – It’s like a relationship. I want to take a step towards them, but they distance themselves from me. I love my homeland, but I feel that America loves me more. Diaba Konate with his teammates. In recent years, she has played basketball for the UC Irvine Anteaters. Photo: ZAK KRILL / AFP In an interview with news, the basketball player says that she is heartbroken that she cannot represent her country. – It is incredibly sad. The ban has had a huge impact on my career as a basketball player. It has made me consider ending my career, says the basketball player to news Amnesty: – Racist – It is both racist and Islamophobic to refuse women who wear the hijab to represent their country in sporting events. That’s what Frank Conde Tangberg, political adviser at Amnesty International, says. – The hijab ban in sport must be seen in a context where there is a large degree of Islamophobia and discrimination against women who wear the hijab in society at large. Amnesty has come out and called the hijab ban both racist and Islamophobic. Frank Conde Tangberg, political adviser at Amnesty, believes that NIF must be involved. Photo: Private – But is this really a problem? Have any French women been denied participation in the Olympics because they wear a hijab? – Absolutely. French women are filtered out at grassroots level, so that they do not get the opportunity to build themselves up, says Tangberg and adds: – It is also a real problem for 24-year-old Diaba Konate who is not actually allowed to represent her country. – Despite my desire and my skills, I am actually not allowed to play for France due to discriminatory policies, says the basketball player. Photo: Steph Chambers / AFP Konate: – I love France She says that it has been tough to have to leave her country to pursue a career as a basketball player. – Despite my desire and my skills, I am not actually allowed to play for France due to discriminatory policies, says the 24-year-old, referring to the country’s secular model – called laïcité. Unknown What is Laïcité? According to researchers Franck Orban and Kjerstin Aukrust, the term Laïcité is used to describe France’s secular model that separates state and religion, and must ensure that the state is neutral in religious matters. In theory, Laïcité must guarantee freedom of religion, and prohibits, among other things, religious influence in public institutions and legislation. Reuters Perceived as Islamophobic The model is being challenged today by an increased multicultural and multi-religious population, especially in relation to Islam. Many Muslims feel that the rules affect them in particular. The policy has also previously led to a ban on French beaches against “burkinis”, which are bathing suits for devout Muslim women who wish to dress in accordance with traditional Muslim rules. Jean-Francois Badias Stands by ban The French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra has emphasized several times that “the government attaches great importance to the French secular system”. The government claims that the policy is not Islamophobic, but safeguards the country’s secular nature. Konate also encourages sports federations in other countries to put pressure on the French authorities. – We need support from other countries. I don’t think the French authorities understand how much trauma they are creating with this ban on Muslim women in sports and Muslims in general. She claims that the ban and the principles surrounding laïcité destroy France’s “image” Calls NIF cowards Amnesty has previously asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ask the French authorities to remove the hijab ban. At the same time, they have urged the Norwegian Sports Confederation (NIF) to get on the field. Something the union has responded with is not applicable, since they believe that the hijab ban is primarily an internal matter for the French authorities. – We have to recognize that changing or obtaining exemptions from an organizing country’s legislation is demanding and primarily a matter for the authorities, acting sports president Arne Bård Dalhaug told NTB. Tangberg does not agree with that. – We believe that diversity and non-discrimination, freedom of religion are values that are worth fighting for, and I think NIF actually also agrees with that. But they have therefore refused to actually translate words into action, and I think that’s cowardly. news has been in contact with the Norwegian Sports Confederation, which refers to previous statements they made when Amnesty made the call. They do not answer news’s questions about how their stated commitment to diversity and inclusion matches their wishes not to raise the ban with the French authorities. Boycott the event TURN OFF THE TV: – It is both discriminatory and racist to deny women participation in sports because of a religious garment, says Alaa Salah from Drammen about the Olympics in Paris. Photo: Laik Hanbaly / news On social media, people are encouraged to boycott the event because of the hijab ban. 27-year-old Alaa Salah from Drammen is one of those who follow this call. – It is absolutely terrible that women have to take off their hijab in order to be allowed to represent their country in sports, says 27-year-old Alaa Salah. – It is both discriminatory and racist to deny women participation in sports because of a religious garment, says Salah, who wears a hijab herself. RACIST: Salah looks at a post Amnesty has published, where they claim that the hijab ban is racist. Salah agrees. Photo: Laik Hanbaly / news Confirms ban The French embassy in Oslo confirms to news that they stand by the ban on religious garments for French athletes participating in the Olympics. – Hijab is a religious garment, not a cultural one. This is what a spokesperson at the French Embassy in Oslo says to news’s question about what they think about Amnesty’s view that the hijab ban is racist. The French sports minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, has confirmed several times that the country’s athletes will not be allowed to wear the hijab during the Olympics, which start this week. Photo: BERTRAND GUAY / AFP The embassy points out that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaves it up to each individual sports federation to decide whether they want to accept the use of the hijab or not. – France’s ban on the wearing of the hijab among its athletes has been upheld by the Conseil d’État in France, based on the principle of the duty of religious neutrality in France. French sociologist: – Unfair news meets the French sociologist, Haifa Tlili, in Paris – where she has researched the consequences of the various bans on religious garments and symbols in public. Photo: Torsten Bøe / news She says that it is sad to see the consequences of the ban. – You now have more women with hijab who are refused to participate in sports because of a garment, she says and adds: – They feel oppressed. That sports are not for them. This has simply disastrous consequences. The researcher also says that the ban causes women to stop participating in sports. – The consequences are both psychological and physical. Many of them drop sports as a result of the ban – and this also leads to less physical activity. Published 06.08.2024, at 12.25
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Muslim Diaba (24) is not allowed to participate, which means that some boycott the event – news Buskerud – Local news, TV and radio
