English soccer to add stoppages to games for religious purposes
The Premier League will add stoppages during matches for the period of Ramadan to allow players to break their fast.
England’s top two divisions, the Premier League and the Championship, will once again implement in-game breaks to allow Muslim players to break their fast during the upcoming festival of Ramadan, which begins this month.
During this period, Muslims fast during daylight hours, with elite sport no exception: players across the world will play and train through this period, with schedules adapted as best as possible.
At this time of year, evening kick-offs in the English league finish after the Sun has gone down, meaning that Muslim players will be allowed to consume water and food. The Sun sets around the hours of 17:00 and 19:00 during this period of the year, meaning games that could see a break in play will be 17:30 kick-offs on Saturdays and and 16:30 kick-offs on Sundays.
Just wanted to thank the @premierleague as well as @CPFC , @vguaita13 all the Foxes for allowing me to break my fast tonight in the middle of the game. That's what makes football wonderful 🙏🏾✊🏾#WF3 #PourEux pic.twitter.com/d56o8A8ZGo
— Wesley Fofana (@Wesley_Fofana3) April 26, 2021
“In the Premier League you are free to do whatever suits you”
The BBC reports that “club captains alongside match officials will find a natural pause in the game” which will allow proceedings to be stopped to allow Muslim players or match officials to break their fast “during a goal-kick, free-kick or throw-in."
In the past, former Everton player Abdoulaye Doucoure lauded the league’s organisation when speaking to BBC Sport in 2023, saying that “in the Premier League you are free to do whatever suits you. They will never do anything against your faith and this is great."
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“I fast every day, I don’t miss any day,” he revealed, “it has become normal and very easy for me. Training is still the same during Ramadan but when we go [for away matches], we might need to eat later than the others so the chef prepares food for us, making sure everything is in place as at home. We get halal food so there are no problems."
Nice moment at Anfield as Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Anel Ahmedhodzic break their Ramadan fast. pic.twitter.com/pJ0Ksi7CEO
— Aadam Patel (@aadamp9) April 4, 2024
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