A year ago
According to reports, officials from the Premier League and EFL have requested referees to halt nighttime matches during Ramadan so that players can break their fast.
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, or the holy month of Ramadan, will begin on Wednesday and end on the evening of Friday, April 21.
According to Sky Sports, some Muslim athletes will abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. As a result, match officials in England's top four divisions have been asked to halt nighttime games so that these athletes can consume liquids, energy gels, and supplements.
They have been urged to hold off on stopping the game until there is a legitimate break in action, such a goal kick or a throw-in.
Also, teams have been instructed to attempt to schedule a rough time for the pause with the referee prior to kickoff.
The 41st minute of Burnley's league game against Southampton last season was called off to allow Mohamed Elyounoussi and Yan Valery to eat. This isn't the first time Premier League games have been stopped for players to break their fast.
The Premier League had previously taken the position that games might be interrupted if a club made a request in advance, but this time they have made it clear to referees before Ramadan even begins.
Some prominent Muslim athletes who play in England's top division, like as Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, are expected to observe fasts over the coming month.
These two players are scheduled to square off in the Reds' trip to the Etihad in the first Premier League game following the break, albeit there won't be a break for that game because it starts at 12:30 p.m.
Wesley Fofana, a defender for Chelsea, was given time to break his fast during a game between Leicester and Crystal Palace two years ago. Kalidou Koulibaly is also planning to observe Ramadan.
Sky Sports News can exclusively reveal that match officials from all leagues have been advised to permit players to break their fast during nighttime matches during the holy month of Ramadan.
Many of the top footballers in the nation, including Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City, Ngolo Kante of Chelsea, and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, are anticipated to fast this month. Fasting is a significant time for Muslims to reflect on their lives.
The players who play in evening games across the divisions over the next month will be impacted by the need that they break their fast once the sun has fallen.
Refereeing bodies have now given match officials instructions on how to accommodate a natural stoppage in play so that players can break their fast by consuming drinks, energy gels, or supplements.
In addition, they have been urged to try and identify any players who would need to break their fast during the game and, where possible, to agree on a rough timing for this to occur before the game starts.
We've been in touch with the Football Association and PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) for comments.
In what is said to have been a Premier League first, Sky Sports News announced two years ago that Leicester City's match with Crystal Palace had been delayed mid-game to allow players to break their fast.
On that particular occasion, Wesley Fofana and Cheikhou Kouyate's Ramadan fast would be broken during play, as both clubs and referee Graham Scott had agreed prior to the game.
Vicente Guiata postponed taking a goal kick at the King Power Stadium shortly after the halfway point so that Fofana and Kouyate could consume energy gels nearby.
After the game, Fofana thanked Guiata, Palace, and the Premier League on social media for allowing him to break his fast. He continued, "That's what makes football wonderful."
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