Religious grounds in Football...

[TBM]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23347131

Papiss Cisse has pulled out of Newcastle's pre-season tour to Portugal after refusing to wear club sponsor Wonga's logo on religious grounds.

The Senegal striker, a Muslim, told club officials he was not prepared to promote the money-lending company.

Who is in the wrong here? - where do you have to draw the line?

[Sanguine]

Was just reading about this. I don't think either party is 'wrong' - for whatever reason Newcastle United have made a business decision to accept sponsorship from Wonga, it's not morally for everyone, but business is business and the club have obviously decided that the income from that sponsorship outweighs the negatives of being associated with such a company.

As for Cisse - the extent to which he intends to interpret his religious beliefs is up to him, he should be supported in that decision, and it will probably cost him his place at Newcastle.

Fwiw - I think Cisse's offer to play in a non-branded shirt isn't unreasonable, given 'Wonga' will be splashed all over the ground, but from the sponsor's point of view, they will no doubt want their name on the shirt of Newcastle's best striker.

[YateleyRoyal]

Not the first time religion has come up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Alla ... rn_1953%29

A devout Christian, Allan became the first British professional footballer to refuse to play on a Sunday in January 1974,[1] with manager Les Allen saying "Jimmy told me it would be against his religious beliefs to play on a Sunday and I respect his views."[1] In spite of this statement, he was dropped from the first team until the beginning of the 1976-77 season.

[No Fixed Abode]

So he won't wear Wonga but he will wear Virgin Money......

[jd82]

:| So he won't wear Wonga but he will wear Virgin Money......

would he not have also worn the Northern Rock shirt?

[retro_royal]

Muslims in failing to integr8 with Western society shocker.

[Ouroboros]

St James'
St Andrew's

Etc.

Thanks.

[Royalclapper]

He wants to be playing for a club with a more ethical sponsor while the shirts themselves are made for pennies in some third world 18 hour-a-day sweatshop.

[SPARTA]

He wants to be playing for a club with a more ethical sponsor while the shirts themselves are made for pennies in some third world 18 hour-a-day sweatshop.

And how the owner of NUFC makes his millions.

[Stuka]

What about betting companies, alcohol companies etc? The industry is swathed in the logos of purveyors of various vices, partly due to football stadiums usually being filled with the likes of us guys, consumers of such things.

I agree with the above poster that neither party is wrong as such, but I do think if you want to earn a living out of football you cant be too puritanical.

I do hope openly homosexual team-mates don't offend him, or those of future World Cup host nation Qatar.

[harryroyal]

I think it's more that usury is a particular no-no in islam.

[No Fixed Abode]

He's been fined for refusing to wear the club sponsor Wonga.
The fine was £5000, rising to £43,896 if not paid by Sunday.

[stealthpapes]

That's actually quite good, Kes.

[soggy biscuit]

suggestion - club offers that each player can sort their own shirt sponsor for the season but the club must take a certain %. There is a minimum amount the club must make, if the player cannot generate that then they go with the clubs suggested sponsor or choose from multiple suggested sponsors.

[stealthpapes]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... p-football

section number 2 in this.

[just some bloke]

St James'
St Andrew's

Etc.

Thanks.

Vicarage Road, Watford
Abbey Stadium, Cambridge

[Pepe the Horseman]

Priestfield

[sputnik]

Dean Court

[Alexander Litvinenko]

That's actually quite good, Kes.

Most people on Twitter liked it too, when it was posted on there.

[soggy biscuit]

Alan 'The Vicar' Pardew