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The old debate around the authorization of the breaking of the fast in the middle of a match for Muslim players doing Ramadan resurfaced this weekend in Ligue 1. The FFF prohibits interrupting a match for this reason in the name of secularism in football but some would like more flexibility as in England where breaks are tolerated to allow practicing players to eat quickly and drink a glass of water.
Should Muslim players who are doing Ramadan be allowed to eat in the middle of a match? In France, the ban on interrupting matches for breaking the fast at nightfall animated a debate this weekend that does not exist, or little, in the other European championships.
“A date, a glass of water, the nightmare of the FFF”: the banner of the Collectif Ultras Paris, Sunday at the Parc des Princes, was scathing towards the French Football Federation, whose firm position on Ramadan contrasts with the more conciliatory attitude of neighboring countries.
The subject came into the news after the referees were sent a reminder of the rules on Thursday. The interruptions of matches linked to the breaking of the fast, in the evening, “do not respect the provisions of the statutes of the FFF”, according to the French body.
“The idea is that there is a time for everything. A time to play sports, a time to practice your religion”, justified Eric Borghini, president of the Federal Commission of Referees, to AFP.
For this member of the executive committee of the FFF, it is simply a question of “the scrupulous application of the first article of the statutes of the federation on the demanding respect for the principle of secularism in football”.
“A big difference between France and England”
The football community has since revived the old and regular debate on what French secularism should be: the freedom to worship freely, or the primacy of common rules over religious beliefs.
“In 2023, we can stop a match for 20 minutes for decisions, but not a minute to drink water,” sighed on social networks Lucas Digne, the French side of Aston Villa.
In England, breaks are tolerated to allow Muslim players to break the fast during the month of Ramadan, which began on March 22.
This has also been the case for the first time in recent days in the Dutch Championship, while in Germany the boss of referees at the Federation announced last year that he supported those who would decide to grant this kind of break.
In Italy and Spain, no provision is planned but the debate has not been opened: the Moroccan Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina) for example took advantage of the entry of the healers on the lawn to feed, Saturday evening.
In the Premier League, the use of breaks has existed for two years, under the impetus of Frenchman Wesley Fofana and Senegalese Cheikhou Kouyaté, players of Leicester and Crystal Palace at the time, who took the time to eat in the middle of a match. .
“I was born in France and I worked there, but there is a big difference between France and England. The English are showing a good example,” Abdoulaye Doucouré, Malian midfielder from Everton, told the BBC. .
Across the Channel, “we know that they are more open than us on the subject and it always has been. It would be nice if France did it but it doesn’t worry anyone that they don’t do it” , commented Friday Didier Digard, the coach of Nice.
A special follow-up
Among the Aiglons, where many players are doing Ramadan, the only point of vigilance concerns the state of form of the players, possibly weakened by the period of fasting, according to the young technician.
“We accompany them as best as possible. We have a high quality performance center. They are monitored in terms of food and hydration”, detailed Digard.
At FC Rouen, first in his group in National 2 (the equivalent of the 4e division), ten players are concerned and the speech is the same.
“The players have been used to fasting for many years so it’s not a problem for them,” coach Maxime D’Ornano told AFP. have with the players concerned during this period so as not to go to exhaustion”.
In Nantes, players of the Muslim faith are exempt from meals together and from the second training session, on days with a double session. “There is support, there is listening,” says Antoine Kombouaré.
But “on the day of the match, you don’t have to fast. There is a lot of intensity, you have to be ready. And those who fast are not in the group. I don’t want them to get injured,” said the Nantes coach to justify the non-convocation of Jaouen Hadjam, Sunday against Reims.
With AFP
