A Premier League Muslim striker has been forced to train on his own in a gym after he objected on religious and ethical grounds to wear Newcastle United shirt that carries the logo of the club’s new sponsor; a sky-high interest rates loan company.
“Upon his return from international duties on Friday, Newcastle told [Papiss] Cisse to stay away from training until the matter was resolved,” the Sunday Mirror reported on July 14.
“He turned up yesterday and it was then matters came to a head.
The sponsor’s shirt problem started months ago when the Senegalese star refused to wear the club’s new t-shirt which advertises a pay-day loan company.
Criticism was first raised last October when the Newcastle United signed a four-year £24 million sponsorship deal with Wonga, a short-term loan company.
But the deal has prompted calls for Muslim players in Newcastle not to wear shirts with the logo of the loans company, which charges 4.214% interest on its internet payday loans, as their faith bans usury.
Newcastle United has four practicing Muslim players; Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse, Cheick Tiote and Hatem Ben Arfa.
Though Cisse offered to wear a charity-branded shirt as a solution to the impasse, the club forced him to train alone in the gym.
“The striker has offered to wear a charity-branded shirt rather than the logo of the club’s new sponsors,” the paper said.
Islam forbids Muslims from usury, receiving or paying interest on loans.
The new deal resembles a similar situation when Muslim footballer Frederic Kanoute refused to wear the logo of gambling website 888.com with his team Seville because of his Islamic beliefs.
Unlike Newcastle, Bolton club dropped plans to be sponsored by another pay-day loan company, QuickQuid, earlier this week after fan protests.
The club said it had taken the decision after “feedback” from fans and politicians.
Almost 4,500 people signed a petition against the deal and Bolton are now sponsored by FibrLec, a sustainable-energy company.
http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/463538-newcastle-punishes-muslim-star-over-shirt.html
