23 Jun 2005 - Muslim team forces Football Association rule change
Muslim team forces FA rule change
By Elham Asaad Buaras
The Football Association (FA) has changed its religious observance rules following a decision to expel an under-12 team when their Muslim players refused to play during Ramadan.
In March 2004, The Muslim News exclusively revealed how Manchester's Abraham Moss Warriors were fined £250 by the FA and suspended from the Bury and Radcliffe Junior League, for refusing to play morning games during Ramadan.
The club expressed concern at the time that players fasting during the month would become dehydrated. The team subsequently asked for morning games to be rescheduled to the late afternoon in order to accommodate the Muslim holy month. They also requested Friday fixtures to be delayed so players could attend their morning prayers.
On May 5 the FA declared that a team couldn't play if it affects religious observance. The FA's Rule B5 now states "A participant cannot be compelled to play football on bona fide occasions where religious observance precludes such activity, save where the participant has".
Previously, such rules applied only to Christians being asked to play on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day. "This is a massive victory, not just for us, but for everyone of all faiths around the country who want to play football," said the Warriors' manager June Kelly. "It is just a shame that it took something like this to get the rules changed. Fifty years ago the rule might have made sense when there were hardly any Muslims playing. Now we are such a multi-cultural society, that it was completely out of date."
"We did lose a few players who wanted to play competitively but we have stuck together," she added. "Two of our players are going for trials with Manchester United and it shows how far we have come."
"Since The Muslim News broke the news we've had tremendous support," she said. "Now the number of boys and girls applying has gone up from 45 to 200."
Manchester's FA Social Inclusion Projects Officer Colin Moore said: "We are pleased that the Football Association has recognised there has been a significant growth in participation from a diverse number of black & minority ethnic communities. This rule change will help teams such as Abraham Moss Warriors to enjoy football and celebrate the appropriate religious festivals!"
Source: The Muslim News
By Elham Asaad Buaras
The Football Association (FA) has changed its religious observance rules following a decision to expel an under-12 team when their Muslim players refused to play during Ramadan.
In March 2004, The Muslim News exclusively revealed how Manchester's Abraham Moss Warriors were fined £250 by the FA and suspended from the Bury and Radcliffe Junior League, for refusing to play morning games during Ramadan.
The club expressed concern at the time that players fasting during the month would become dehydrated. The team subsequently asked for morning games to be rescheduled to the late afternoon in order to accommodate the Muslim holy month. They also requested Friday fixtures to be delayed so players could attend their morning prayers.
On May 5 the FA declared that a team couldn't play if it affects religious observance. The FA's Rule B5 now states "A participant cannot be compelled to play football on bona fide occasions where religious observance precludes such activity, save where the participant has".
Previously, such rules applied only to Christians being asked to play on Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day. "This is a massive victory, not just for us, but for everyone of all faiths around the country who want to play football," said the Warriors' manager June Kelly. "It is just a shame that it took something like this to get the rules changed. Fifty years ago the rule might have made sense when there were hardly any Muslims playing. Now we are such a multi-cultural society, that it was completely out of date."
"We did lose a few players who wanted to play competitively but we have stuck together," she added. "Two of our players are going for trials with Manchester United and it shows how far we have come."
"Since The Muslim News broke the news we've had tremendous support," she said. "Now the number of boys and girls applying has gone up from 45 to 200."
Manchester's FA Social Inclusion Projects Officer Colin Moore said: "We are pleased that the Football Association has recognised there has been a significant growth in participation from a diverse number of black & minority ethnic communities. This rule change will help teams such as Abraham Moss Warriors to enjoy football and celebrate the appropriate religious festivals!"
Source: The Muslim News