Diaba Konate: Hijab Ban Disrupts French Basketball Dreams

Diaba Konate wearing a number 23 jersey waves enthusiastically as she approaches our meeting spot near the Louvre in the sweltering Paris heat. The 23-year-old point guard recently returned to her hometown after a successful college basketball career in the United States, first with Idaho State University and then UC Irvine where she helped the team reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1995.

Despite her achievements and aspirations, the ban on competing in France due to her hijab represents a significant setback for Diaba Konate. Konate began wearing the hijab during the Covid pandemic for personal and spiritual reasons and was shocked when she learned that the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) had banned religious or political symbols on sportswear starting in 2022.

This rule change devastated Konate, who had hoped to continue her journey with the French national team. Similarly, Salimata Sylla, a former player for Aubervilliers faced humiliation when her coach informed her that she could not play while wearing her sports hijab. Sylla, who had worn the hijab for years had to watch from the bench after the exclusion.

She views this as unfair discrimination against Muslim women which highlights the broader issues faced by hijab-wearing athletes in French sports. The controversy surrounding France’s “Islamist separatism” law has spread across various sports, impacting both players and officials. Despite international rule changes lifting similar bans, Muslim athletes in France continue to face barriers.

Helene Ba, co-founder of Basket Pour Toutes criticizes the law’s application as a violation of human rights, arguing that it undermines the spirit of inclusivity in sports. Konate remains heartbroken but stays determined to advocate for hijab-wearing athletes through Basket Pour Toutes. As she reflects on what could have been at the Paris Olympics, her commitment to the cause endures.