Premier League referees asked to pause night matches for Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan… and holy period to start tomorrow
- The holy period of Ramadan, which is observed by Muslims, begins tomorrow
- Before the start of Ramadan, referees have been asked to pause night matches.
- This will allow Muslim players to break their fast once the sun has set.
Referees in the Premier League and EFL have reportedly been asked to pause night games during Ramadan to allow players to break their fast.
The holy period of Ramadan, which is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, will begin on Wednesday and end on the afternoon of Friday, April 21.
Several Muslim players will refrain from eating and drinking during the day, and match officials in England’s top four divisions have been asked to suspend night matches so these players can take fluids, energy gels and supplements, according to sky sports.
They have been encouraged to wait for a natural interruption to the game, such as a goal kick or throw-in, before pausing the game.
Teams have also been told to try to agree a hard time with the referee before kickoff so that the timeout can occur.
Mohamed Salah will have time to break his fast when he plays night games during Ramadan
Riyad Mahrez is another prominent Premier League player who will be observing Ramadan.
Premier League matches have been stopped in the past for players to break their fast, and Burnley’s league game against Southampton last season was stopped on 41 minutes to allow Mohamed Elyounoussi and Yan Valery to refuel.
The Premier League’s stance has previously been to allow games to be stopped if a team makes a request beforehand, but this time they have sent a clear message to the referees before Ramadan begins.
England’s top flight contains several high-profile Muslim players, including Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, who are expected to fast for the next month.
These two men will face each other in the first Premier League game after the international break when the Reds travel to the Etihad, although a break will not be necessary for that game as it is at 12:30.
Chelsea defenders Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana will also observe Ramadan, with the latter having time to break his fast during a game between Leicester and Crystal Palace two years ago.