Amid Morocco's celebrations of their first World Cup win, defender Nouhaila Benzina fell to the grass and cried. By wearing a hijab, she had created history and become a role model for millions, writes Samantha Lewis.
"I remember giving a presentation where I sort of walked through the statutes and the arguments that might sit around the issue," she said.
"The feminist argument was raised by a French group in a letter sent directly to [former FIFA president] Sepp Blatter. France, for example, which is home to one of the best teams in women's football, Olympique Lyonnais, has banned the hijab from being worn by players, referees, and coaches at the amateur and professional levels since 2012.
Further, as the host of the 2024 Olympic Games, France's ban on hijabs is about to come into direct conflict with the International Olympic Committee's own anti-discrimination policy. Benzina, for her part, has not spoken publicly about what her World Cup debut in Adelaide means for her. In true footballing fashion, she spoke only of the game, her team, and what comes next.
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