Anthony Lopes feigns injury to allow Ramadan break for Nantes teammates
Anthony Lopes appeared to deliberately feign an injury during Nantes’ Ligue 1 fixture against Le Havre on Sunday, enabling five of his Muslim teammates to break their Ramadan fast, reports BritPanorama.
The former Portugal international collapsed near the halfway line without any contact from opposing players, with the ball having gone out for a throw-in. As medical personnel attended to what seemed to be a hamstring issue, the five Nantes players rushed to the sideline to consume food and water.
Lopes subsequently rose at a notably unhurried pace, allowing his fasting colleagues extra time to sustain themselves before the match could resume. This incident cleverly exploited a unique aspect of football regulations: when goalkeepers require medical attention, they remain on the pitch, halting the game entirely, while outfield players must leave the field for treatment.
French football authorities, however, have consistently refused to implement religious intervals during matches, contrasting with practices in other major European leagues. The Premier League established a provision in 2021 permitting Muslim players to break their fast once the sun sets, while the Bundesliga followed suit in 2022, adapting to support players observing Ramadan.
In France, stringent regulations govern religious expression, which includes a ban on the burqa. This regulatory environment has led football authorities to adopt a similar stance, declining to permit dedicated breaks for religious observance. The implications of Lopes’ actions could carry significant weight for Nantes as they fight to secure their place in Ligue 1.
Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Le Havre provided a crucial boost to their survival prospects. Nantes currently sits in 17th place in the 18-team league, entangled in the relegation zone but level on points with Auxerre, who occupy 16th. A mere two goals in goal difference separate the two sides, intensifying the stakes as the season progresses.
As Ramadan commenced on 17 February this year and will continue until 19 March, Muslims fast during daylight hours as an essential pillar of Islam. Across Europe, football clubs have increasingly adjusted their operations to accommodate players during this holy month. Observers note the reliance on a delicate balance between tradition, regulations, and the imperatives of professional sports.
Nantes’ actions serve as a poignant reminder of how personal faith and elite football can intersect, revealing both the challenges players face and the ingenuity required to navigate them. In a sport that continually grapples with issues of identity, the choices made on the pitch often reflect a broader narrative—one where the values of community and belief are as relevant as the scoreline itself.
