Paris, Jun 29 (AP) France's highest administrative jurisdiction said Thursday the country's soccer federation is entitled to ban headscarves in matches.

The Council of State issued its ruling after a collective of headscarf-wearing soccer players called “Les Hijabeuses” — the word hijab refers to the headscarf — campaigned against the ban and launched legal action.

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The French soccer federation bans women from wearing headscarves in official matches, as well as at competitions it organises. It's not in line with the recommendations of soccer governing body FIFA, which authorises players to compete at international level with headscarves.

The Council of State said sports federations “may impose on their players an obligation to wear neutral clothing during sporting competitions and events, in order to guarantee the smooth running of matches and prevent clashes or confrontation. It considers that the ban imposed by the FFF is appropriate and proportionate.” (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)