The mayor of Nice has threatened to cut the subsidies of football clubs which fail to respect its new “secularism charter”, that includes keeping religion, in particular Islam, off the football pitch.
France's latest battle to ensure the principles of secularism are being upheld is taking place on the football pitches of the Riviera city of Nice.
In a city where the right wing mayor Christian Estrosi is fighting to prevent a new mosque from opening, authorities are also trying to ensure that Muslims do not bring their religious beliefs anywhere near the municipal football pitches.
They have taken teams to task for beaching a new "secularism charter" that players and clubs are required to adhere to.
Ten breaches of the charter have been reported since last October, according to a report in BFM TV. Most of the incidents consisted of Muslim players praying either on or close to the field, before or during a match. [The Local] Read more
