, for example, were more likely to be obese.
Supporters say the proposed law is a necessary step to— a pillar of the French Republic. Opponents denounce it as discriminatory, Islamophobic, and a violation of both the rule of law and the very concept of secularism.
“We know that sport is a vehicle for emancipation, especially for girls,” Sylla told The Associated Press. “So what are they really trying to tell us? They think we’re oppressed because we wear our headscarf? But in the end, they’re also oppressing us because they’ve excluded us from basketball courts. We chose to be Muslims. Under no circumstances should you tell me what we should or shouldn’t wear.”In January 2023, she was told to remove her headscarf if she wanted to play against rival club Escaudain in the National 3 league. Sylla refused, citing personal conviction and the fact that her sports hijab was officially approved and deemed suitable for competitive use.Only then did she learn that the basketball federation’s rules banned all head coverings as inappropriate for play, contrary to the rules of the international basketball federation.
“I was really shocked,” Sylla said. “I went to see the referee to tell him that I’d played eight games with it since the start of the season and that no one had banned me from playing with it. And he said: ‘I’m sorry, here are the rules.’”The French federation did not provide The Associated Press with an explanation for the ban on hijabs in competitions.
Sylla, who this year made a pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, has stopped playing with her former club. She continues hosting games outside of the federation’s jurisdiction, organizing monthly tournaments in Paris and its suburbs that are open to women playing basketball with or without a hijab.
“You don’t want to include us? So we’re going to include everyone,” Sylla said.That said, she’s starting to get used to — and enjoy — the clay used at the French Open.
“In the future? I guess we’ll see. You never know. I feel like I’ve been doing pretty OK on the clay so far, even though it was my least favorite surface and I thought it was my worst surface, too,” Mboko said. “But you never know.”Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here:
MIAMI (AP) — Flamingos, pelicans, herons and parrots are just a few of the wild birds that call Miami home, but it’s the roosters, hens and baby chicks that have come to rule the roost in recent years.Not only found in residential neighborhoods like Little Havana, Little Haiti and Wynwood, the fowl families are also making their home among the high-rises and government buildings downtown. And while some people find the crowing to be a nuisance, many have adopted the rooster as an unofficial mascot for the city.