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Rabat – French channel CNews has come under fire for making Islamophobic remarks towards Moroccan football player Nouhaila Benzina’s decision to wear a hijab during the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Columnist Philippe Guibert’s commentary on Sunday during the HDPros show condemned her choice, alleging that hijab represents an “incredible regression.”
“This young woman wearing the hijab is essentially telling her teammates, ‘You are immodest.’ That’s what the hijab signifies. It means that a woman should not show her hair, her shoulders, her overall figure, that she should conceal her body as much as possible because a woman should be modest,” Guibert said.
He added, “That is the meaning of the hijab. So, I agree that it is an incredible regression.”
Philippe Guibert sur le port du hijab par une joueuse à la Coupe du monde féminine de football : «C’est une régression incroyable», dans #HDPros pic.twitter.com/eexVZB177f
— CNEWS (@CNEWS) July 30, 2023
The Moroccan footballer has made history as the first hijabi player at the ongoing tournament, which is taking place in Australia and New Zealand. However, this celebration of diversity and inclusion has been overshadowed by the disheartening remarks of the French channel.
Read also: French Women Footballers Gain Victory in Quest to Overturn Hijab Ban
Guilbert’s statement has sparked immense outrage, with many denouncing the channel’s attempt to project France’s controversial religious symbol ban onto an athlete from a different country and a tournament held outside of France.
“She is Moroccan, plays in Morocco, and participates in the World Cup in Australia very far from your racist country. What is your problem?” said a Twitter user.
Other social media users argued that his remarks perpetuate harmful stereotypes and Islamophobic attitudes towards women who choose to wear the hijab, as well as attempt to impose a narrow definition of modesty on diverse cultures and religious practices.
“It’s extraordinary. Men puffed up with certainty to explain to her what her clothes mean to her. Fortunately, her playmates obviously don’t see it the same way,” another Twitter user said.
French media’s divisive approach
The controversy surrounding Benzina’s wearing of hijab during the Women’s World Cup has highlighted a significant difference between French media and other Western media outlets.
While many international media platforms have celebrated this historic moment, recognizing it as a positive step towards inclusivity and diversity in women’s football, French media, exemplified by CNews and Philippe Guibert’s remarks, have taken a different approach.
CNews was not the only French media outlet to have projected the country’s national agenda and domestic debates over religious symbols onto an athlete from a different cultural context and playing on an international stage.
French sports-focused newspaper l’Equipe published an article claiming that Benzina’s decision to wear a hijab during the tournament is “highly controversial.”
“What a difference! day and night, tolerance and intolerance, respect and disrespect, French and English,” a social media user wrote, referring to how British media celebrated Benzina for making history as the first hijabi in the tournament.
