While the Premier League, the body that governs the English football championship, and the English Football League (ELF) have, according to Sky Sports, authorized referees to interrupt matches to allow Muslim players to break the fast during Ramadan, the French Football Federation (FFF) reminded its officials by email of its opposition to this practice.
“These interruptions do not respect the provisions of the statutes of the FFF”, estimated the body in this message sent Thursday, March 30, and relayed by several media on Friday. “The idea is that there is a time for everything: a time to play sports, a time to practice one’s religion”, justified to Agence France-Presse (AFP) the president of the Federal Commission for referees at the FFF, Eric Borghini.
According to him, the federation was informed that “a number of amateur level matches have been stopped to allow fasting players to hydrate”, and this “without the regulations allowing it”. And Mr. Borghini to insist on “the scrupulous application of the first article of the statutes of the federation on the demanding respect for the principle of secularism in football”.
“They are more open than us on the subject”
Across the Channel, the opposite decision was taken by the arbitration bodies: breaks will be made during Premier League matches to allow Muslim players to break the fast during the month of Ramadan, which began on March 22 and ends on April 21th.
Two years ago, the duel between Leicester City and Crystal Palace had already been interrupted during the game for the same reasons: a first in the English league. The two clubs had agreed with referee Graham Scott on a break to allow Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate to take energy gels pitchside. Crystal Palace’s Spanish goalkeeper, Vicente Guiata, then delayed the throw-in of the ball.
“We know England, we know that they are more open than us on the subject, and it always has been, reacted Didier Digard, the coach of Nice, questioned on the subject at a press conference this Friday. . It would be nice if France did, but nobody cares if they don’t. Because we are not in a Muslim country. You have to accept the country in which you live. »
Within his club, many players of Muslim faith observe Ramadan, and, according to the coach, this is not a problem. He also recalled that Nice will only play twice during the fasting period, on April 2 in Angers and April 16 in Brest; meetings scheduled for 3 p.m.
The rest are “matches at 9 p.m., the fast will already be broken”, underlined Didier Digard, referring to the duel against Paris Saint-Germain on April 8, and the two confrontations against Basel in the quarter-finals of the Europa League Conference, April 13 and 20.
“We accompany them as best we can. We have a high quality performance division. They are monitored for food and hydration. They do [the fast] out of conviction, and that makes things a lot easier. »
