WC\\\'s Muslim players consider Ramadan fast

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) - The Muslim players in World Cup teams that have qualified for the second round in Brazil face a thorny question on Sunday when much of the Islamic world started observing the holy month of Ramadan with a dawn to dusk fast.
The question is trickiest for the Algerian team, which faces a formidable German side today (Monday). There are also Muslims on the Nigerian and French teams and those players also will have to weigh their religious convictions against the possible effects of fasting on their performance.
"We need to discuss it among ourselves," Algerian player Djamel Mesbah said. "It's clear that our religion is very important for the team, so we will talk about it and see how to go forward."
Bacary Sagna, a Muslim player in the French squad, said that many of the players who do it are used to it from their time in the European leagues and able to function.
"As a Muslim I know that there are certain rules that allow us to avoid it," he told The Associated Press in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
"It is not allowed for an Algerian player to avoid fasting just for a game - they must fast because God is with those who fast and young people can fast and play at the same time," said Mohammed Mekerkab, the head of Algeria's association of religious scholars.
He also dismissed the exemption for travel claimed by most athletes since the provision was only for voyages undertaken in the search for knowledge, health reasons or fighting jihad.