How Will Ramadan Affect Ahmed Musa and other World Cup Muslim Players?
Saturday marks the beginning of the World Cup’s knockout stage, the tournament’s most ruthless-lose one game, and you go home.
For many players it also marks the first day of Ramadan, a month-long religious fast during which many Muslims refrain from ingesting food and liquids from sunrise until sunset.
Nigeria's Ahmed Musa, France's Karim Benzema and Germany's Mesut Ozil are among high profile Muslim players still in the World Cup, though the list encompasses athletes playing for France, Germany, Nigeria, Belgium and Switzerland. In the case of Algeria, which tied Russia on Thursday to advance, the issue affects the entire team.
Had they advanced, Iran, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire also would have had significant numbers of Muslim players affected by Ramadan.
Observance of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, and adherents are required to abstain from food or drink from "break of dawn" until sunset. Smoking and physical intimacy are also prohibited.
There are exemptions from the fasting obligations, according to Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, for those who are very young or old, pregnant women, travelling, or ill, or if the fasting is likely to cause physical harm.
"When it comes to athletes, scholars will vary in their interpretation, some will say if it's particularly hot and fasting would harm your health, than you can make up for the days you missed later on," Hooper said.
FIFA reportedly studied the effects of fasting before the tournament started, with "positive" results.
"If you do it intelligently, then you can adapt perfectly," Dr. Michel D’Hooghe, FIFA's medical committee chairman, told the New York Times. "Before the sun comes up, they have enough hydration to go on through the whole day."
Germany’s Mesut Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, has already told the press that he will not take part in Ramadan because he "is working." A spokesman for the Swiss team, meanwhile, has said that none of its players will fast during the competition.
Nigeria's forward Ahmed Musa is known to play while fasting during Ramadan.
Former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju speaking with TheCable, said there’s no reason to expect an underwhelming performance from Musa against France on Monday in Brasilia.
“Ramadam doesn’t affect a player performance,” he said. “But it depends on the individual because during my playing days, there were things I did, which I won’t disclose to you, that helped me during matches. I am sure Musa knows what I mean.”
There's no official stance from FIFA as to what accommodations Muslim players should make when playing matches in Brazil's heat, so it'll be up to each team, its medical staff and its players to make their own decisions.
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| PHOTO: AfricanFootball.com |
Nigeria's Ahmed Musa, France's Karim Benzema and Germany's Mesut Ozil are among high profile Muslim players still in the World Cup, though the list encompasses athletes playing for France, Germany, Nigeria, Belgium and Switzerland. In the case of Algeria, which tied Russia on Thursday to advance, the issue affects the entire team.
Had they advanced, Iran, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire also would have had significant numbers of Muslim players affected by Ramadan.
Observance of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, and adherents are required to abstain from food or drink from "break of dawn" until sunset. Smoking and physical intimacy are also prohibited.
There are exemptions from the fasting obligations, according to Ibrahim Hooper, the national communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, for those who are very young or old, pregnant women, travelling, or ill, or if the fasting is likely to cause physical harm.
"When it comes to athletes, scholars will vary in their interpretation, some will say if it's particularly hot and fasting would harm your health, than you can make up for the days you missed later on," Hooper said.
FIFA reportedly studied the effects of fasting before the tournament started, with "positive" results.
"If you do it intelligently, then you can adapt perfectly," Dr. Michel D’Hooghe, FIFA's medical committee chairman, told the New York Times. "Before the sun comes up, they have enough hydration to go on through the whole day."
Germany’s Mesut Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, has already told the press that he will not take part in Ramadan because he "is working." A spokesman for the Swiss team, meanwhile, has said that none of its players will fast during the competition.
Nigeria's forward Ahmed Musa is known to play while fasting during Ramadan.
Former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju speaking with TheCable, said there’s no reason to expect an underwhelming performance from Musa against France on Monday in Brasilia.
“Ramadam doesn’t affect a player performance,” he said. “But it depends on the individual because during my playing days, there were things I did, which I won’t disclose to you, that helped me during matches. I am sure Musa knows what I mean.”
There's no official stance from FIFA as to what accommodations Muslim players should make when playing matches in Brazil's heat, so it'll be up to each team, its medical staff and its players to make their own decisions.
How Will Ramadan Affect Ahmed Musa and other World Cup Muslim Players?
Reviewed by The Niger Times
on
10:00 pm
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Reviewed by The Niger Times
on
10:00 pm
Rating:
Well as a Muslim and someone who played active sports in secondary school and university. I don't think fasting should reduce the performance of any professional athlete. In fact when I used to play basketball for my University I noticed I performed much better when I was fasting. Its all about the approach. Eat well and Hydrate well every morning. The main problem though is if the match is going to be played early in the morning. This wldn't still affect the player but it becomes hard for the player to stay without food and water for the rest of the day till sunset.
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