A Christian minister has complained to football’s governing bodies about “unfair discrimination”, as a Premier League game was stopped for players to break their fast.
Play was stopped in the 12th minute of Leeds United’s match against Manchester City on Friday, with boos heard around the ground during the stoppage.
A message was put on the Elland Road big screen, which read: “As tonight’s match takes place during the holy period of Ramadan, play has been paused briefly to allow players to break their fast.”
Minister Rikki Doolan believes this goes against laws around religious symbolism in the field of play, contradicting the treatment of Christian players who have expressed their faith.
“The fans rightly booed and showed discontent because religion in this case, should have nothing to do with the football match that thousands of people paid to watch,” Doolan wrote in a letter to the Premier League and Football Association (FA), posted on X.
“This is something that must be stopped, it has no place in football. If players of that faith are fasting then there are many ways they can manage it that doesn’t include stopping the match and forcibly putting everyone watching, and playing, into a religious practice/ritual. This is discriminatory to everyone else.
“Religious freedom is important, and as long as it doesn’t infringe on anyone else, freedom of religious expression is important too. This act of stopping football matches for Ramadan fasts has been going on since 2021 and it must stop if you truly want to respect everyone’s individual rights, if you want equality, and if you truly want to uphold the integrity of your own policies,” he added.
Doolan referenced the treatment of Marc Guehi, who was issued with a “reminder” by the FA of rules around religious messaging on kit while captain of Crystal Palace in 2024. He wrote “I love Jesus” and “Jesus loves you” on his rainbow captain’s armband, introduced by the league as part of its campaign with LGBT+ group Stonewall.
Liverpool player Coady Gakpo received a similar warning, after revealing a shirt with the words “I belong to Jesus” in April last year. Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus also faced action after revealing a similar shirt in December.
Guidance on pausing games to allow Muslim players to break their fast was introduced by the league five years ago.
In an email seen by the BBC, Leeds United’s supporter liaison officer said it was “disappointing” that some chose to boo.
Kick it Out, an anti-discrimination charity, said the disappointment was “compounded by the fact that an explanation was displayed on a big screen inside the stadium.”
“Pausing the game to allow Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan has been an agreed protocol for several years now. It’s an important and visible part of making the game welcoming for Muslim players and communities.”
