Footballer sparks off the pitch Religious Debate
The religious beliefs spotlight recently focussed on Newcastle United’s number 9, Senegalese Striker Papiss Cisse.
The religious beliefs spotlight recently focussed on Newcastle United’s number 9, Senegalese Striker Papiss Cisse.
The footballer sparked controversy after refusing to wear the club’s shirt, sponsored by and displaying the logo of payday lending company Wonga. Cisse, a Muslim, initially refused to wear the famous black and white, on the basis that Wonga’s business is contrary to Sharia law as a result of charging customers interest on their loans.
Much like the Gallowgate End watching Cisse bare down on goal in the 90th minute, Employment practitioners up and down the land were looking forward to potentially finding out whether forcing Cisse to wear the club strip would have amounted to religious discrimination, and to seeing whether Employer or Employee prevailed in an unusual set of circumstances.
Cisse’s specific argument was not that he was being forced to breach Sharia law by wearing the strip, but that he gave the wrong impression to his fellow Muslims by effectively promoting a Company which breaches the principles of Sharia law.
Some believe that Cisse would have had good prospects of bringing a discrimination claim based on the protected characteristic of religion had the dispute developed further, and that any disciplinary action the club may have taken against him for refusing to wear the strip, would have been inherently discriminatory.
Unfortunately for Employment practitioners however, Cisse never looked likely to grace the Newcastle Employment Tribunals with his presence, following the release of photographs showing him sat at a Newcastle Casino table last November. Gambling is also prohibited by Sharia law.
The Casino confirmed that Cisse was “an occasional visitor” who unsurprisingly given his earnings (the Employment Tribunal fees certainly wouldn’t have been an issue for him!) was always “very welcome”.
Whilst his agent confirmed he was not a gambler, and some have cited the fact that Cisse previously wore strips displaying the logos of Northern Rock and Virgin Money without complaint (both of whom charge interest on loans themselves), Cisse’s U-turn perhaps comes at no surprise.
Cisse confirmed that after “a huge amount of reflection”, it was “important for the team and the fans that we concentrate 100 per cent on football”.
Whilst the sporting-minded Employment lawyers amongst us may not disagree with these comments, many others will remain disappointed that what could have been an interesting Employment issue, unfortunately failed to get off the ground.