Question Number: 14947

Other 3/6/2007

RE: Professional

Tonny Kennedy of Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa asks...

Our team has just found a new sponsor to huge amounts of money. The new owner of the team is a seventh day adventist (worship on saturdays).Because of his religious belief he does not want his team to play on saturdays. Absolutelty nothing is done on saturdays. Last week we were drawn in a cup match with one team who were the home team and they put the game for saturday. Our bosses tried to negotiate for another day, the team could not budge and we could not play on saturday and so we were booted out of the cup. What does the law say on religious beliefs like this and the game.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Tonny the law says nothing, the decision to play is likely made on a field available and a referee crew provided! You have a choice to make, play or take the sponsor's money and accept the forfiet! God has no objection to soccer saturday only a few people who forget that life does not stop on a day of rest or worship. Ask any farmer! As I said before divine inspiration and man made logic not always a perfect fit! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Does not mention this at all.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

When your team accepted the sponsorship you accepted when you would play. The sponsor did as he said. Now you try to find in the Laws something not there, so sorry Tonny.

Tons of sponsorship money sometimes brings even larger problems.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

You have to make lots of choices in life. If your job interferes with your Sabbath beliefs, what do you do? You can either become unemployed or go against your beliefs.

You can turn down your sponsor's money and play every day of the week. Or accept it and suffer any unanticipated consequences.

Or you can attempt to create an international uproar over religious beliefs. That didn't work in Quebec; maybe it will in Jo'burg.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

LOTG do not address this. That said, your team decided to accept this sponsor's money and in doing so also decided to abide by his religious beliefs. If your team wanted to be able to play on Saturday, you should have declined the money. Can't have it both ways. You made the choices and have to live with them. I completely side with the sponsor on this. You knew his requirements. You and I may disagree with them but it's HIS choice and now yours also.