Following Paul Pogba's removal of the tournament sponsor's drink last week, Euro 2020 organizers will no longer place bottles of alcohol-free Heineken in front of Muslim players.
Pogba, a devout Muslim who plays for France and Manchester United, pulled a bottle out of view during his post-match press conference following France's 1-0 win over Germany last Tuesday.
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According to The Telegraph, teams, managers, and players will now be asked if they object to the bottles of Heineken 0.0 being placed on the podium for religious reasons.
Following Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo's removal of Coca-Cola bottles before his team's opening game against Hungary last week, Pogba took a stand.
The international superstar was irritated by the presence of the fizzy drink in the scene and pushed it to the side before saying to the camera, "Drink Water!"
He then brandished a water bottle and held it up in front of him for the rest of the interview, saying "Coca-Cola" with obvious disgust.
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Notably, when speaking to the press yesterday after receiving the Star of the Match award (sponsored by Heineken) against Portugal, France striker Karim Benzema - who is also Muslim - did not have bottles of Heineken in front of him.
Despite this, the Real Madrid player spoke in front of commercial hoardings bearing the sponsor's name, as well as a Heineken-sponsored individual award.
In what has been a running subplot of the European Championships so far, UEFA warned players that they may be penalized if they continued to avoid sponsors and their drinks at press conferences.
Despite the new restrictions, Europe's regulatory body has stated that there is a distinction between banning alcoholic beverages on religious grounds and avoiding fizzy drinks due to personal health and fitness preferences.
Ronaldo, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, is well-known for his strict dietary and workout regimen.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Pogba converted to Islam in 2019 and described the decision as helping him feel more 'calm inside.'
'It's everything,' she says. That's what makes me grateful for everything,' Pogba said of his choice to convert to Islam to The Times via MEN.
'It caused me to grow and realize things about myself.' Maybe it makes me feel more at ease on the inside.
'It was a positive transformation in my life because I was not born a Muslim, despite the fact that my mother was.' That's how I grew up, with respect for everyone.
'The picture of Islam that most people have is that of terrorism... What we hear in the media is actually quite different, and it's quite lovely.
'You become acquainted with it. Anyone can have a sense of belonging to Islam. It came because I had a lot of Muslim acquaintances. We are always conversing.
'I was doubting myself about a number of things, so I decided to conduct some study on my own.' I once prayed with my buddies and experienced something different. 'I was in a great mood.'
Pogba also traveled to Mecca, the Islamic holy city, alongside fellow countryman and Chelsea star Kurt Zouma, who said on Instagram, "Never forget the important things in life."
Pogba, the World Cup champion, has been a key player for France thus far at the Euros, as they have finished first in Group F and will face Switzerland in the round of 16 on Monday.
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