Muslim athletes are set to face an even tougher challenge during this year’s Olympic Games as
they gear up to compete in London during the holy month of Ramadan.
The summer’s
event will clash with the holiest month of the year in the Islamic calendar, when
Muslims are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset, a requirement that could
hamper the performance of athletes from the GCC.
Although
the line-up for this year’s UAE Olympic athletes has yet to be confirmed, Saeed
Abdul Ghaffar Hussain, the secretary general of the UAE’s National Olympic
Committee, told Arabian Business some athletes may opt to postpone their fast
to maximise their chances.
“I don’t
think there will be any problem; our athletes are used to this,” he said. “If
you go according to religion, in certain cases it is allowed to break fast but
you have to cover that in the later stages. But it depends on the individual;
some players don’t like to break fast and continue fasting. I think it [comes
down] to the individual,” he added.
Ramadan
this year is expected to run from 20 July to 18 August while the Olympics will
run from 27 July to 12 August. An estimated 3,000 Muslim athletes are expected
to compete at this year’s games, leaving many divided about whether or not to
fast.
British
rower Mo Sbihi, the first Muslim to row for Britain, said in July he planned to
postpone his fasting during this year’s Ramadan because he didn’t want to hurt
his chances of winning a gold medal due to feeling hungry or dehydrated.
“It is a
massive risk to fast and compete. My power output could decrease, or I could
collapse during the race. This is the last Olympics for some people and I would
not want to risk their chances or my own. This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity for all of us, and I would not want to ruin it,” he told the UK’s
Standard newspaper.
Eight
UAE nationals, including Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al-Maktoum, Obaid Ahmed
Aljesmi and Saeed Rashid Omar Alqubaisi, took part in the Beijing Olympics.
UAE
nationals competing could be exempt in certain circumstances, said Abdualraham
Amourarah from the UAE’s general authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowment.
“He will
continue his fasting and during his fasting if he feels tired and he cannot
continue to complete his fasting up to sunset, he has permission from Islam to
break his fast and eat. He will replace it after Ramadan,” he said.
UAE
swimmer Obaid Al Jasimi, who hopes to compete in this year’s 100m freestyle and
100m butterfly, said he will be consulting Islamic scholars before the games.
“It will
be my first time to compete in Ramadan so I thought I would [speak to] some
religious people about that before I do it and will see what they tell me,”
said Al Jasimi, who competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
“I know
that what I will do is a mission for the country so I think they will say it is
okay I cannot fast in this period of the competition and I can do it after
Ramadan.”
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