English Premier League allows Muslim players to break fast mid-game

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Muslim football players in the English Premier League will be able to break their fast mid-game during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the league said on Wednesday.

"Ramadan will be observed by Muslims around the world from 22 March 2023, including many players in the Premier League.

"In 2021, an agreement was put in place to allow Muslim players to break their fast during a Premier League match," the league said.

It said that as in previous years, this season the captains of clubs with Muslim players will be able to agree with Premier League match officials to “find a natural pause in a fixture to allow those players or match officials to break their fast.”

Ramadan will continue through April 21.

Following an international break, the Premier League will resume on April 1.

During a 2021 match between Leicester City and Crystal Palace, the game was paused for a while so that Leicester's Wesley Fofana and Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate could break their fast mid-game. The players took liquids and energy gels.

Last week, English Premier League club Chelsea said it will host a first-ever fast-breaking or iftar meal at their home stadium Stamford Bridge on March 26.

English clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United on Instagram wished Muslims a happy Ramadan.

There are many famous Muslim players in the Premier League such as Liverpool's Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, Chelsea's French midfielder N'Golo Kante and Manchester City's Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez.