According to reports, the manager of French team Saint-Etienne has urged his players not to fast during Ramadan.
It began on April 1st and is slated to remain until May 1st, during which time no food or drink will be consumed from sunrise to sunset.
Pascal Dupraz, according to L’Equipe (via Get French Football News), has asked his Muslim players to stop fasting in order to avoid relegation.
The ten-time French champions are now ranked 18th in the league table, indicating that they will play in Division One.
The squad comprises around two-thirds Muslim players, and the manager fears that fasting will cause their physical condition to decline.
On Saturday, April 16th, they were able to bounce back and win a hard-fought victory over Brest at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard.