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The French Football Federation (FFF) is under fire after banning Muslim players from fasting during Ramadan while training with the national squad — sparking accusations of discrimination and dividing the team.
FFF reportedly told players observing Ramadan they can’t fast at Clairefontaine training camp. They can only make up for missed fasting days after international fixtures end.
“Hijab bans for women, and now there is a ban on fasting for players observing Ramadan. France continues to be champions of anti-Muslim behaviour,” said Canadian sports journalist Shireen Ahmed on X.
Most Les Bleus players come from Africa and North African backgrounds, like Ousmane Dembele, N’Golo Kante, Elias Guendouzi, Ibrahima Konaté, and Ferland Mendy. Last year, youth midfielder Mahamadou Diawara quit the under-19 squad in protest, ESPN reported. Some “They believe their religion is not respected and that they are not respected either,” an agent said.
FFF president Philippe Diallo defended the decision, telling Le Figaro: “There is no stigmatization of anyone…But when we are in the French team, we must respect the framework.” He pointed to the federation’s rule enforcing “neutrality” and banning political or religious expressions during matches.
This isn’t the first time the FFF has sparked controversy. Last year, referees were ordered not to pause matches at sunset so fasting players could break their fast, while leagues like the Premier League and Bundesliga allowed it. PSG fans even held up a banner that read: “A date, a glass of water, the nightmare of the FFF.”
According to the French body, matches interrupted due to breaking the fast in the evening “do not comply with the provisions of the FFF statutes.”
“The idea is that there is a time for everything. A time to play sport, a time to practice one’s religion,” Eric Borghini, president of the Federal Referees Commission, told AFP.
For this member of the FFF executive committee, it is simply a matter of “the scrupulous application of the first article of the federation’s statutes on the demanding respect of the principle of secularism in football”.
The FFF also enforces a hijab ban for female players, even after FIFA lifted its own.
Calls for action are growing. The “Everything Is Futbol” podcast urged Muslim players to boycott the national team, posting: “You’ll see how quickly France changes its ways once they realize they can’t field a good national team without multiple dual-citizen French/African athletes.”
