French mayor retreats after suspending fasting Muslims
By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor
PARIS | Wed Aug 1, 2012 10:13am EDT
PARIS (Reuters) - A French mayor has revoked the suspension of four Muslim camp counselors following an uproar after he said they could not work properly because they might be weakened by their all-day fasting for Ramadan.
Muslim groups threatened to sue the Paris suburb of Gennevilliers for discrimination for recalling the four after an inspector found on July 20 - the first day of the Muslim holy month - that they were not eating or drinking during the day.
Lawyers for the counselors, who had accompanied children from the suburb on a town-sponsored stay at a summer camp in southwestern France, said they might also take the issue to a labor court.
Potential weakness due to Ramadan is also an issue at the London Olympics, where more than 3,000 Muslim athletes are competing. Some have delayed their fast until after the Games while others are fasting as they would any other year.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/us-france-islam-ramadan-idUSBRE8700T820120801
