No beer at Muslim players’ press conferences at Euro 2020

UEFA will remove bottles of beer from Euro 2020 press conferences if Muslim players facing the media make the request, European football’s governing body confirmed on Friday.

France midfielder Paul Pogba, a Muslim who does not drink alcohol, removed a bottle of non-alcoholic beer from the view of the cameras when he answered reporters’ questions earlier in the tournament.

“We ask Muslim players if they agree to have (bottles) or not,” a Uefa spokesman told AFP.

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Heineken, one of the main sponsors of Euro 2020, “agrees with this approach”, the spokesman added.

Pogba’s gesture came after Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo removed a bottle of Coca-Cola from one of his press conferences at the tournament and indicated people should drink water instead.