A referee stopped a Bundesliga match between Mainz and Augsburg last week to allow Muslim player Moussa Niakhate to break his Ramadan fast.
Mainz center-back Niakhate has been observing Ramadan fasting since April 2. The referee paused the game in the 65th minute to allow him to drink some water.
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Taking some water, the French defender, aged 26, then ran up to the official to thank him for the gesture, The Independent reported.
It was the first time in Bundesliga history that a fixture has been paused to allow a player to break their fast during Ramadan.
Similar Gestures
There are other instances where referees allowed players to break their fast in the Bundesliga this weekend.
In RB Leipzig’s 3-0 victory over Hoffenheim on Sunday, referee Bastian Dankert allowed Mohamed Siamakan a few minutes to hydrate.
A similar nice gesture happened last year when Crystal Palace paused their game to let Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana break his Ramadan fast.
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Hijri Islamic calendar. It commemorates the first revelation of the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad.
From dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from food, drinking liquids, smoking, and engaging in sexual relations).