Islamist demands in the world of sports reached a new milestone in France with the interruption of a regional football match by Muslim players for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Meanwhile, ministers are clashing over the legislative framework for wearing Islamic veils in sports federations.
For the first time, a Ligue 1 match (national football championship) between Angers and Monaco was interrupted on Saturday, March 15th after 13 minutes of play, to allow Muslim players to break the fast of Ramadan. The break was granted after a stoppage in play, on the decision of the match commissioner, who consulted the staff of both teams and then secured league approval.
The French Football Federation (FFF) normally prohibits any interruption of a match for religious reasons, in accordance with article 1.1 of its statutes. In March 2023, the head of the federal referees’ commission reiterated the very clear instructions on the subject in an email—made public—sent to all French referees. It stated that “match interruptions following the breaking of the Ramadan fast” were contrary to the “principle of neutrality of football at the places where the sport is played.”
At the time, Borghini noted an increase in this type of demand in amateur football and was alarmed: “There is a time for everything. A time for playing sport, a time for practising your religion,” he said in an interview with Le Parisien.
Any offender is normally subject to sanctions, but for the moment, the FFF has not reacted. The ban has indeed been circumvented, which risks setting an unfortunate precedent. Pressure could be exerted on the FFF from abroad: other countries already authorise players to take fast breaks during matches, such as the English Premier League (EPL) in the United Kingdom or the Bundesliga in Germany.
The issue of breaking the Ramadan fast has exacerbated another ongoing and already very tense debate on the wearing of the Islamic veil in sports. A bill introduced by the right-wing Les Républicains to ban the wearing of the veil in all sports competitions and swimming pools was adopted in the Senate. Examination of the bill gave rise to a violent debate between right-wing senators suspected of “stigmatising” Muslim women and preventing them from accessing sports, and left-wing senators accused of indulging in “denial.” The text, adopted by the upper house, must now be examined by the deputies. It establishes a dividing line within the government itself. The minister of the interior Bruno Retailleau supported the law passed by the senators and clashed head-on with the minister of sports Marie Barsacq, who opposed it.
Barsacq is trying to delay and refuses to link the wearing of the veil to Islamist radicalisation in sport: “The wearing of the veil is not entryism. And entryism is not limited to the veil. The subject of radicalisation in the world of sport is a different subject from the subject of the wearing of the veil and religious symbols in sport,” she told the National Assembly a few days ago—exhibiting naivety at best, reckless disregard at worst.
“I would remind everyone, and feminists in particular, that the veil is not a symbol of freedom but of the subjugation of women,” insisted Retailleau, who pointed out that his services are observing an alarming offensive by the Muslim Brotherhood to impose their agenda in the world of sport.
