Free Iftar Meals For Turkish Football Fans

By Sa'ad Abdul Majid, IOL Correspondent

ISTANBUL, October 8, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) - The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) decided to offer free iftar (fast-breaking) meals for Turkish football fans during the country's friendly with Germany on Saturday, October 8.

"Iftar meals are to be supplied, to encourage fasting fans to attend the friendly with Germany," said a TFF source.

Small meal boxes will be given to fans as they buy the match's ticket, or while they enter the stadium, according to IslamOnline.net's Correspondent.

The TFF is trying to stave off an anticipated low turnout with the match being played at the time of fast breaking.

Many fans have fears concerning the difficulty to find iftar meals since the stadium is located in a remote area, west of Istanbul, where restaurants and civil services are not available.

Turkey is warming up for a divisive encounter against Albania on October 12 in its uphill battle to cruise for the 2006 world cup gala, to be hosted by Germany.

Turkey, Denmark and Euro 2004 winners Greece are chasing the runners-up spot in Group Two behind Ukraine.

The Turkish team had made history by reaching the semi-finals in the 2002 world cup, their second appearance at the mondial and their first in 48 years.

Ankara snatched third place after beating South Korea, triggering nationwide euphoria in the football-mad country.

Fasting players

The German head coach of Galatasaray decided to give the players free choice in deciding whether to fast or not during the holy month of Ramadan, reported Yeni Safak newspaper on Friday, October 7.

"I cannot stand against the player's religious beliefs, and I cannot link the team's deteriorating scores in 2004 to Ramadan fasting " he added.

The head coach further decided that the daily training will start at 3:30 pm rather than at noon, to help the players continue their fasting.

Galatasaray has given more than 300 footballers to the national team, including superstar Hakan Şükür.

Şükür, known to be an observing devout Muslim, broke the speed record when he netted after 11 seconds in the 2002 semi final between Turkey and South Korea, to shatter the record of 15 seconds set in 1962 by Czechoslovakia's Vaclav Masek against Mexico.