Our players and the holy month of Ramadan…

By: Magnusson | September 3rd, 2008

On monday morning, around the world started the holy month of Ramadan for many muslims. the ninth month of the calendar is believed to be the month when Angel Gabriel was given the Quran and later gave it to the Prophet Muhammad. In France, there are a little less than 6 million practicing muslims and Marseille is host to one of the biggest muslim communities and of course many players are muslim.

This wouldn’t matter much if there wasn’t the fact that during the month of Ramadan, most practicing muslims fast in order to learn about humility and patience as well as to purify themselves from past sins. So how do players deal with the fact that they train or play games as well as have to follow their religions. Well, Islam is quite flexible with it and players who have activities that do not allow them to do them properly without food can postpone those days until after the month of Ramadan is over and catch up in their own time later.
This is basically what Mamadou Niang does. Talking about his fasting period, the senegalese (? I wonder how he feels about that these days) striker said that “It’s not easy when you have to play every three days just because you actually lose some energy doing so. But when you have a demanding job, you can postpone some fasting days until you are free-er to do so. For example, in my case, I don’t fast the day before nor on matchdays.”

As for Karim Ziani, he doesn’t fast on gamedays either. The algerian international , who is presently preparing a World Cup qualifier against Senegal in Blida said that he’s been knowing his body and didn’t feel the need to tell the doctor because he’s been doing it for years as a professional athlete and hasn’t had any medical problems. Speaking of medical problems, Dr. Christophe Baudot, the club’s lead physician for five seasons now warns that “During a hot period , there’s a high risk of dehydration and thus of diminished performances. So when the training sessions are doubled, one needs to not put his life jeopardy. A few practices have been re-adapted, with the coaches’ permission (past coaches, not Eric Gerets mind you, even though with his experience in Turkey, the belgian technician must be more than familiar with the issue). But if the players hydrate themselves properly and if their meals are well done, they’re going to be more than fine.”

Pape Diouf, himself a non-practicing muslim, raised the issue on monday saying that they trusted their players to do what’s better for them and for their clubs as employees and that with more than ten muslims players on the squad, most of them veterans (the list also includes captain Lorik Cana, Hatem Ben Arfa and Taye Taïwo among them), there has always been an understanding that the club would come first. “It’s hard to pressure anyone or give them direct advice. I trust them. And since the religion is very flexible when you have a demanding job, the players won’t really be affected by that. Being a professional football player, eating and resting are part of the job. We’ve never hasd a problem before, and we’re not gonna have a problem now, trust me”

Bon Apétit