Reports said Diwara’s decision to refuse to abandon fasting led to his removal from the squad.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has sparked controversy by reportedly sending Mahamadou Diawara, who was initially called up to the U19 team, back to Lyon after he abstained from fasting during the national team’s gathering.
Last week, Diawara was among the players Bernard Diomède called up to join his squad for the Euro U19 Elite Tour 2024. However, the midfielder was recently spotted training with Olympique Lyonnais, raising questions about whether he is still part of the French U19 team.
Sources quoted by converging media in France said that Diawara’s decision not to abandon fasting led to his removal from the squad as he refused to comply with the FFF’s manifestly hostile position on players’ Ramadan fasting.
Philippe Diallo, President of the FFF, told LeFigaro today that the federation’s position is “within the framework of neutrality.”
“I reaffirmed that it is within this framework of neutrality that our selections function concretely, which means that we do not modify the conditions of practice for our selections for religious reasons,” he said.
RMC Sport reported that it had reached out to the FFF and Lyon for comment on Diawara's case, but did not receive a response from either party.
France has frequently faced criticism for its position on not allowing football players to fast during the holy month. This issue sparked debates regarding freedom and cultural accommodation within the European country.
Despite the objection, France opposed the implementation of breaks during matches for Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan.