Tunisia goalie 'fakes' an injury to break Ramadan fast
Tunisia's national goalkeeper appeared to
feign injuries during World Cup practice matches so his teammates could
break their Ramadan fasts.
Mouez Hassen
went down early in the second half of Tunisia's games against Portugal
and Turkey coinciding with sunset, which is when Ramadan fasting ends.
On
both occasions his 'injury' prompted his teammates to rush to the
sidelines to eat dates and drink water before taking to the field again
During their first match against Portugal, Nice keeper Hassen went down in the 58th-minute with an 'injury'.
Just six minutes later, Tunisia - who are in England's group at the World Cup - scored and the game finished 2-2.
On Saturday against Turkey, Hassen lay flat on his back after a corner in the 49th-minute, allowing his team-mates to leave the pitch for food and water. He stayed down for around a minute.
What is Ramadan?
That match also finished 2-2.
Tunisian sports reporters were the first to point out that Hassen's injuries both coincided with sunset, which is when Iftar - or the breaking of the fast - begins.
Freelance reporter Souhail Khmira tweeted that there is 'an agreement' between the players and their goalkeeper to break their fast in this way.
It does not appear that Turkey, another mostly Muslim nation, had any such arrangement in place when they played Tunisia.
Hassen has since been teased on Twitter, including by fellow footballer Chaker Alhadhur, who joked: 'It's all right now, we know you were pretending.'
In response, Hassen tweeted 'I was injured bruv' alongside laughing emojis.
Hassen was not punished during either game by the on-field officials, and is unlikely to face any subsequent punishment because proving the injury was not genuine is virtually impossible.
The Tunisian football federation has yet to comment on the timing of the two injury breaks.
Hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan at the moment. It is a month of self-discipline where Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from sunrise to sunset.
The Quran demands that 'whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month' but makes exceptions, adding: 'Whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days.'
However, some sportsman choose to interpret the rules more loosely.
Ajmal Masroor, a London-based Imam and member of the Muslim Council of Britain, said in 2011 that the wording of the Quran would allow for someone taking part in a special event to eat during Ramadan and fast at another time.
Just six minutes later, Tunisia - who are in England's group at the World Cup - scored and the game finished 2-2.
On Saturday against Turkey, Hassen lay flat on his back after a corner in the 49th-minute, allowing his team-mates to leave the pitch for food and water. He stayed down for around a minute.
What is Ramadan?
That match also finished 2-2.
Tunisian sports reporters were the first to point out that Hassen's injuries both coincided with sunset, which is when Iftar - or the breaking of the fast - begins.
Freelance reporter Souhail Khmira tweeted that there is 'an agreement' between the players and their goalkeeper to break their fast in this way.
It does not appear that Turkey, another mostly Muslim nation, had any such arrangement in place when they played Tunisia.
Hassen has since been teased on Twitter, including by fellow footballer Chaker Alhadhur, who joked: 'It's all right now, we know you were pretending.'
In response, Hassen tweeted 'I was injured bruv' alongside laughing emojis.
Hassen was not punished during either game by the on-field officials, and is unlikely to face any subsequent punishment because proving the injury was not genuine is virtually impossible.
The Tunisian football federation has yet to comment on the timing of the two injury breaks.
Hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world are observing Ramadan at the moment. It is a month of self-discipline where Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from sunrise to sunset.
The Quran demands that 'whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month' but makes exceptions, adding: 'Whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, a number of other days.'
However, some sportsman choose to interpret the rules more loosely.
Ajmal Masroor, a London-based Imam and member of the Muslim Council of Britain, said in 2011 that the wording of the Quran would allow for someone taking part in a special event to eat during Ramadan and fast at another time.
