Muslim athletes torn between Ramadan and London Olympics

The Olympic Games in London coincide with the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, Ramadan (July 20 – August 19), when a Muslim should observe a fast and follow many taboos. About 3 thousand Muslims will come to the Olympic Games from all parts of the world. Many of them face a difficult choice: to continue fasting means becoming less competitive, ITAR-TASS reports.

In the majority of Muslim countries, an athlete makes his or her own choice to follow traditions or not.

“We are confused,” an athlete from Morocco, Sara El Bekri, says. “We have to make a difficult choice, but it is the Olympics for which we have prepared for years.”

Other athletes intend to postpone the fast until the end of the Games. For example, an athlete from the UK, Mohamed Sbihi, promised that he would make charitable gifts to orphanages for each day he wouldn’t keep a fast.