French soccer federation limits support for players’ Ramadan observance. Critics see discrimination

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
AP Sports Writer

For Muslim soccer players in deeply secular France, observing Ramadan is a tall order. The country’s soccer federation wields the principle of religious neutrality enshrined in the French constitution, and doesn’t make things easy for players who want to refrain from drinking or eating from dawn to sunset during the Islamic holy month. At French league matches, referees are not entitled to authorize pauses allowing Muslim players to break their fast, unlike in nearby countries such as England and Germany. Because France is a secular nation, many citizens still believe religion has no place in public space. With its stringent rules, the French federation says it defends the neutrality of soccer. Critics see it as anti-Muslim discrimination.