French referees ordered not to stop matches during Ramadan
French football federation has ordered referees they must not pause matches to allow Muslim players to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
In an email sent to French football officials, the French football federation claimed that the practice does not comply with the body’s regulations, according to media reports.
“The idea is that there is a time for everything. A time to do sport, a time to practice one’s religion. The federation learned that a certain number of amateur-level meetings have been stopped to allow players observing the fast to hydrate. This is not permitted in the regulations,” Eric Borghini, head of the federal referee commission at the Federation, told AFP.
Last week, the English Premier League told match officials to allow players to break their fast during evening matches across the Muslim holy period of Ramadan. (ILKHA)