From left to right: Diaba Konaté, Assia Verhoeven, Hélène Bâ and Léna Villatte. They are all part of the collective Basket Pour Toutes, cofounded by Hélène, which fights against the hijab ban in French basketball. This ban excluded visible Muslim women from practicing their sport. Léna joined the collective out of solidarity after seeing that her team mate couldn’t play anymore.
Diaba and Assia playing on a public basketball court in Paris, one of the only places where they are still allowed to play. Since choosing to be visible Muslim women, their rights are becoming increasingly restricted in every aspect of their lives. Whether it's work, sports, or even a simple outing, they constantly have to check if 'they have the right to be there.' This gradual and ongoing ostracism places these women in a corner of their lives and their potential.
Haïfa Tlili, a former sports educator turned sociologist, and cofounder of the collective, explains that girls from suburbs and neighborhoods often lack access to sports, which is crucial for their mental health, and that excluding them is dramatic.
"By excluding them from sports, we lose the opportunity to create role models for other girls."
