A JUNIOR football team featuring eight Muslim players, has been fined £250, thrown out of a cup competition and deducted nine points for failing to play a number of games.

Abraham Moss Warriors, an under-12s team from Cheetham Hill, Manchester, claim to have asked the Bury and Radcliffe Junior League to rearrange five scheduled fixtures, due to a large proportion of the squad observing the month of Ramadan.

During the month they are required to abstain from drinking or eating during daylight hours for 31 consecutive days.

The club claims the league refused the request. When it subsequently appealed it was turned down.

It then appealed to the Manchester County FA, which referred the matter to the Lancashire FA.

The LFA upheld the league's decision, which said the team could not opt out on religious grounds, and took disciplinary action when the Warriors failed to play the matches.

"We informed the league secretary and section representative in writing on August 21 that the children would not be able to play during Ramadan, which began on October 25, so they had eight weeks notice," said the Warriors' June Kelly.

"They never told us until mid-October that our request to hold the games off was not being granted.

"We appealed but they didn't hold the appeal meeting until after Ramadan had finished.

"We then appealed to the Manchester County FA and Lancashire FA, who upheld the league's decision.

"For the last three years we've played in the North Bury Junior League and they've always allowed us time off for Ramadan."

The team recently lost its appeal to the Lancashire FA, although the fine was reduced to £75.

Now the sports national governing body, the London-based Football Association, has got involved.

FA Media officer, Alex Stone said: "As a consequence of being made aware of the issue, the FA, through its Ethics and Sports Equity Department, is looking at the situation.

"We have spoken to all parties and are currently waiting to receive all the relevant information before we are in a position to make any kind of judgement."

June Kelly added: "We hope the decision can be changed because all along the FA has said no child should be discriminated against because of race or religion, well half the team are Muslim and are being discriminated against because they were fasting.

"We are not talking about deciding between playing football or going to the mosque, we are talking about fasting, not being allowed to eat or drink from sunrise to sundown, we only asked for time off while the children were fasting, but we were not given it."

Bury and Radcliffe Junior League spokesperson, Judith Jones said: "I am extremely disappointed at the efforts made by June Kelly and Abraham Moss Warriors to discredit the league and the Lancashire FA.

"This despite the findings of the joint Manchester County and Lancashire FA Appeal Board, which found the decision to be both reasonable and within league rules."

The league was due to hold a meeting last night, at which it was anticipated further information would be revealed.

When contacted, Lancashire FA Discipline officer, Jim Parker, refused to comment.