Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse has agreed to resume his duties with the club after seeking religious guidance from an Imam.
Cisse, a practicing Muslim, had originally objected to wear the new Newcastle kit laden with the logo of controversial online loan company Wonga due to religious reasons. Shaira law prohibits followers from profiting off the lending of money.
Originally thought to have asked for permission to wear a kit without the logo, Cisse has capitulated for the rest of the year with his public stand having made its mark.
Due to the previously unresolved issue, the Senegalese 28-year-old was left off the team’s preseason trip to Portugal last week. The club has a friendly with Championship side Blackpool on Sunday.
Wonga’s contract with Newcastle not only requires the players to wear its logo during matches and training, but also while traveling to games. The deal brings Newcastle around £8 million ($12.3 million) per year.
The lending company has been religiously controversial over its short life. Founded in 2006, the online lenders are thought to target poorer individuals with short-term loans at huge interest rates.
They made headlines earlier Thursday when the leaders of the Church if England announced they indirectly invest in the company, which left the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby “furious.”
