Ligue 1 Referees have not been requested to enable Muslim players who are fasting during Ramadan to break their fast during games.
Premier League referees got questions to delay matches after sunset so that Muslim players may break their fast during Ramadan. Yet according to a report in this morning’s L’Équipe, no such action has become a question for in the case of France’s top division.
No Ligue 1 teams has requested anything from the league administration, thus the subject is not yet on discussion. But, considering that the Islamic holy month started yesterday, it may be during the international break.
The French national team athletes who planned to observe Ramadan would postpone the start of their fast by five days, until the conclusion of their obligations with Les Bleus, according to a previous story from L’Équipe. The France coaching staff had encouraged the players to do this but had not required it.
Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté were among the senior players who fasted during World Cup preparations five years ago, as well as during the Euro 2016, going against the advise of the staff. They are now absent from Les Bleus’ team this month as they have just recently recovered from injuries.
This time, there are apparently few Muslim players on France’s lineup for their first two Euro 2024 qualifying games. In a news conference yesterday, forward Marcus Thuram praised the move to allow for pauses during matches in England, saying, “It’s a step forward, but it’s only the beginning.”