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Goalkeeper Waleed Safy - one of the 8 Muslim players in the Abraham Moss Warriors squad
THROWN-OUT
Steve Hammond31/ 5/2004
SOCCER bosses have thrown a schoolboy side out of a league
because they wanted a later kick off to allow players time to pray
in the mosque.
Angry parents say officials of the Bury and Radcliffe Sunday League
have added insult to injury by banning Abraham Moss Warriors from
all further games.
The Warriors, a mixed white and Muslim Asian squad, have already
been fined and had points deducted because they attempted to
re-arrange fixtures to avoid playing during Ramadan.
Things have now taken an even more serious turn.
The multi-racial side asked to play away fixtures a little later in
the evening to allow Muslim team members time to worship at the
mosque.
Opposing sides agreed to the later kick-off but league officials
did not and they decided to exclude the Warriors from the
league.
Said Warriors' manager June Kelley: "We are absolutely appalled.
This represents further discrimination by the league on grounds of
race and religion.
"After deducting the points and fining us £70 over the Ramadan
issue, the league came to us and said we would have to play weekday
games to clear our fixtures before the end of the season on 31
May.
"We agreed to this but asked for a later 7pm start because they
were all away games and our Muslim players are in the mosque for
prayers until at least 6pm.
"The other teams we were to play agreed with this but the league
refused, they called us to a disciplinary hearing and excluded
us.
"The only good thing to come out of this is the solidarity of the
parents and players. We were afraid the non-Muslin players might
start blaming their Muslim colleagues for the upset but they have
stood by them throughout supporting our aim of building friendship
in the community through sport."
Former team committee member Councillor Martin Pagel said the
league decision "beggared belief".
"They behaved appallingly over the Ramadan issue refusing to let
the Warrior play games later in the afternoon so they ended the
match around the time Muslims break the fast and can take food and
drink.
"Now they have added insult to injury.
"The good news is that the Warriors have been accepted into the
Tameside league who have agreed to adjustments to meet the
requirement of the young Muslim players."
Before the points deductions, the Warriors were fourth in the Bury
and Radcliffe League with several games in hand with ambitions to
be champions.
In a statement on the row the FA nationally said it was their
policy to accommodate cultural and religious festivals.
They added: "This includes junior or adult teams with Muslim
players seeking to re-arrange fixtures to void playing in daylight
hours during Ramadan."
A spokesman said the FA's ethics and sports equality department was
investigating the Warriors plight.
Bury and Radcliffe League officials were unavailable for
comment.
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