Sports Competitors: Religious Freedom

Department for Culture, Media and Sport written question – answered at on 22 January 2025.

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Photo of Jim Shannon Jim Shannon DUP, Strangford

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support freedom of religion or belief for athletes.

Photo of Jim Shannon Jim Shannon DUP, Strangford

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make representations with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development to her French counterpart on the impact of the hijab ban in sports in France on freedom of religion or belief.

Photo of Stephanie Peacock Stephanie Peacock Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Sport must be open to everyone. The UK will continue to champion freedom of religion or belief for all, both at home and abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.

The Government expects sports bodies in the UK to take robust action to tackle discrimination whenever and wherever it occurs. The Government will continue to work with National Governing Bodies and sector organisations to fight all forms of discrimination at all levels of sport.

We are working to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our positions at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora and in our important bilateral work. Ministers regularly engage with their French counterparts on a broad range of issues.

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