Media reports said Friday that French Football Federation He notified the referees of his decision to stop matches temporarily to allow Muslim players to break their fast in the evening RAMADAN month.
And unlike the English Premier League, which made a decision to allow this, this practice does not comply with the laws of the French Federation for the game, according to what many media outlets reported, quoting the authority that sent an email to the referees on Thursday.
In the context, said Eric Borghini, head of the Federation’s Federal Committee of Referees: “The idea is that there is a time for everything. A time to practice sports and a time to practice one’s religion.”
Borghini added that the federation knew that “a certain number of matches were suspended at the amateur level to allow the fasting players to hydrate,” because this is not permitted in the regulations, noting that this includes strict respect for the principle of secularism in football.
Unlike the French Federation, the arbitration bodies asked match referees in all English leagues to allow fasting Muslim players to break their fast during the evening matches during the month of Ramadan.
And many players fast during the month of Ramadan, which began on the 22nd of this month, during which Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset.
In response to a question about this issue, Nice coach Didier Digard said on Friday that many Muslim players in the team are holding the month of Ramadan without any problems.
Although he said it would be nice if France allowed rest periods, Digard added to reporters: “Nobody cares that they don’t. Because we are not in a Muslim country. You have to accept the country you live in.”
France 24/AFP