Ramadan: Official match guidelines for Muslim players to break fast during evening matches include women’s football | Soccer News

Muslim players who fast during Ramadan and participate in WSL matches will have the option of breaking their fast during matches in accordance with recent guidelines issued to match officials.

Ahead of Ramadan, Sky Sports News exclusively revealed that Premier League and EFL match officials have been asked to allow players to break their fast during evening matches during the holy period.

Importantly, this advice also covers Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship matches, allowing elite women’s football players to break their fast by taking liquids, energy gels or nutritional supplements , during a natural break in the game.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and observed by Muslims around the world as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

Muslimah Sports Association chairman and London FA manager Yashmin Harun BEM welcomed the development and said it helps celebrate the diversity that exists in the English game.

“It’s really good news,” Harun said. Sky Sports News.

“It happened in the past too, but it wasn’t official, this time it’s official.

“It’s good news, it celebrates the diversity we have within football in England which hopefully will filter through and the referees will adapt at local level as well.”

The advisory also applies to any match official who may also be fasting during Ramadan.

Jarnail Singh, who is the first turbaned Sikh referee in English league football history, is delighted to see a common-sense approach being taken that emphasizes well-being and safety.

“I think it’s too late to be honest with you,” Singh said. Sky Sports News. “It’s just because it’s a health and safety issue here where members of the Muslim faith are fasting for a period of time.

“Football, being an energetic game, you lose a lot of fluids and salts, and it is important that when the time comes, there is a stoppage of play so that they can take liquid or food, for a few minutes.

“It’s like in the summer, when you play football, it’s hot and you allow water breaks. It’s the same kind of thing, it’s for the safety of the players, which is paramount. “

Two years ago, Sky Sports News revealed that Leicester City’s game with Crystal Palace was called off mid-game to allow the players to break their fast in what would have been a Premier League first.

On that occasion, the two clubs agreed pre-match with referee Graham Scott that there would be a break in play to allow Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate to break their Ramadan fast.

Vicente Guiata delayed the goal kick just after the half hour mark to allow Fofana and Kouyate to take energy freezes to the side of the pitch.

Fofana took to social media after the match, thanking Guiata, Palace and the Premier League for allowing him to break his fast, adding: “That’s what makes football wonderful.”

Launch of the women’s timeline, the first of its kind

Harun and Singh were speaking at the launch of a never-before-seen timeline and exhibition documenting the history of female players of South Asian descent in the modern English game, created to celebrate Sky Sports’ partnership with Sporting Equals.

Marking the evolution of women’s football in the era of the Women’s Super League, the timeline highlights 20 current and former players of South Asian descent, who have paved the way in the game in various leagues across Great Britain. Brittany.

Role model players are also featured in the exhibition created to celebrate the anniversary of Sky Sports’ partnership with Sporting Equals.

Harun added: “Understanding the history of South Asian female players in the game and reflecting on their journeys is very important for us to get to where we want to get to in terms of making elite women’s football more diverse and representative of the nation.

“These inspiring women are shining role models, changing the way we view the game and paving the way for the next generation to thrive. They turn dreamers into believers and it’s important to shine a light on them and celebrate their accomplishments. . .”

British South Asians in football

For more stories, features and videos, visit our groundbreaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and the South Asians in the Game blog and stay tuned to Sky Sports News And our Sky Sports digital platforms.