olympic and ramadhan..gold and faith

The so called "The Greatest Show on Earth" has started...the London Summer Olympics 2012.

The Olympics run from July 27 to August 12 and this year Ramadhan took place from July 21 to August 20.

Waittt.......Olympics in Ramadhan?

As many as more than 3,500 muslim athletes are expected to attend,. Do you know that countries with predominantly muslim populations sent about a fourth of the competitors taking part in these modern Olympics games?

Is it the dudes in International Olympic Committee - IOC not being sensitive?

or muslim countires voices not being heard?

or we too taking the Olympics as a much awaited event rather than Ramadhan?

or we too not showing how we appreciate our holy month Ramadhan?

The IOC itself that has required the Olympic summer games take place any time between July 15 and August 31. As a result, the London Olympics will run from July 27 to August 12. Annually, Ramadan shifts forward by 11 days, putting it at July 21 to August 20, 2012, right in the middle of the Olympics.

Some did voice out the Games to be rescheduled i.e London Based Islamic Human Right Commission plus Turkey, Egypt and Morocco lobbied for a change to the scheduling of the Games so that Muslim athletes would not face a disadvantage.

But the IOC refused to budge.

I guess  IOC  shows a complete lack of awareness and sensitivity. This is not only going to disadvantage the competing  athletes and officials involved, but also alienating the Asian communities by saying they don’t matter. It’s not only going to affect the participants but it’s going to affect all the muslim people who wanted to travel and watch the Games there. They won’t want to travel much during Ramadhan since it’s a spiritual time.

Still can't read the message I wanted to tell  in between the lines? Maybe the words used were a bit diplomatic and soft....then try this " IOC, why don't you organized this at Christmas,  then it is equally stupid to organize it at Ramadhan".


Surely the athletes will seek advice from their scholars, looking for a 'fatwa' (religious edict) of how a devout muslim can postpone or even be excused from his/her observance of the fast. Trust me for those who had the experience fasting in Europe or US during summer, the day time is much longer in this case maybe from  i.e 2.30am till 9.30pm. just imagine the respective athletes within that 18 hours, to compete in world class sporting events.

           
They are obviously going to be at a disadvantage because other competitors will be drinking and keeping up their energy levels during the scorching summer heat.

Yeah, some might say our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did go to war even during fasting month.

       

That is why some muslims may not like these exemptions for the purpose of winning medals, but others say life is for real people and the religion of Islam is flexible. It will be worth observing this summer how Muslim athletes, especially those who fast during their games, perform compared to others.

In this case I really admired the Olympic football team of Morocco...the played hard, in summer heat..managed to draw 2- 2 with Honduras with players decided to still continue fasting.

Morocco Olympic Footbal Team....after the game then have to wait nearly 2 hours coz unable to produce immediately urine sample to doping control staff after the game...i guess got nothing left, the fluid had gone due to summer heat!



Timing of event, fasting, doping, dressing code....as if like a hindrance for a muslim to excel in world sport events.

Muslim female athletes for instance facing the problems of wearing hijab in some sport events. Sport bodies like FIFA had disqualified Iranian women olympic soccer team during qualifying round due to hijab dressing code. In one of the reason given because veils/scarves  can impose danger with regard to safety.

Due to safety? Do you know that the 2012 London Olympics had allowed sikh athletes to carry the ceremonial 'kirpan' or 3 inch dagger attached to a cloth belt worn under their clothes.

So,  hijab is dangerous..dagger is not?


'a kirpan'



Damn hillarious...

Chasing the gold...chasing the faith. If can only pick one, better drop the gold and keep the faith.

There is a say....succes disguise as hardship  or problem in actual fact is an opportunity.

Had some truth to it...after the 9/11, more and more people not only in US but globally as well beginning to understand more about Islam....more and more American converted (some prefer to use the word reverted) to Islam after the 9/11. To some, it's a kind of back fire effect to the original plan to tarnish Islam.

Same thing might goes to London 2012 Olympics....the highlights and predicaments of muslim athletes fasting and female dressing code during the Games might trigger the same effect....from not knowing about Ramadhan  might be something very common in near future...very likely especially if some of the fasting athletes re able winning medals...do you know that President Obama nowdays hosted Iftar dinner to celebrate Ramadhan at White House wishing a blessed ramadhan to American muslims and muslims around the world!

So the lesson,  sensitivity of us in facing this holy month should be able to guide our decision making in planning future sporting events...from small to bigger events.

The IOC and other world sport bodies might not be as sensitive as we are, coz they just don't understand....it is our duty to educate them (achewahh!! punyer lar semangat).....we re the one to show them the examples (ehemm..ehemm).....educate them on how we plan our yearly sports activities except 'it is a no no' in the holy month of Ramadhan.....

" Babah, malam esok kan Man City  lawan Malaysia..ada live kat Astro..... "

" Ohhh ada ke??....tu main pukul berapa? "

" Tak pasti..tapi tu ari baru-baru ni pon dah ada...yang tu Malaysia lawan Arsenal pukul 9.30pm...."

aiyaa....i quit.