As World Cup 2018 begins in Russia, the Muslim festival of Ramadan is ending around the world. With fasting during daylight hours obligatory for all adults, Ramadan provides challenges for seven nations taking part in the World Cup with majority or large Muslim populations. Here is how the squads from each country have responded.
Saudi Arabia
Russia’s opponents in the opening fixture, Saudi Arabia will play their first match during Ramadan. Moreover, their base in St Petersburg is currently experiencing 18 hours of daylight. Faced with such strictures, the majority of the Saudi camp have opted to defer their fast till after the tournament. Citing travel as a cause for postponement is a common dispensation during Ramadan. It was given the rubber stamp by Saudi authorities who issued abstention permits to players who required them.
Iran
In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there has not been much complaining about the effects of Ramadan on athletic conditioning. “Ramadan does not really affect training” said the forward Reza Ghoochannejhad. President Hassan Rouhani drew a direct parallel between fasting and training. “You go to the gym to prepare yourself for an important international competition,” he said. “ The month of Ramadan is the gym for all of us. It is about patience and resistance.” Due to the divergent nature of the Ramadan calendar in different countries, Iranian players will not have finished fasting by the time they play Morocco on Friday.
Morocco
Of all the countries facing the fasting dilemma, Morocco have been the most circumspect. Fasting in their country also comes to an end on Friday night, after the crucial group B opener with Iran, but neither the Moroccan FA nor the religious body that issues fatwas in Morocco, the Higher Council of Ulema, have commented on the team’s preparations.
Tunisia
Tunisia’s World Cup squad are observing the fast, but there’s no doubt the players aren’t entirely happy. The midfielder Wahbi Khazri said Ramadan was “very difficult … We cannot eat or drink [when we want]. It is very complicated to prepare.” During the 58th and 47th minutes of recent friendlies against Portugal and Turkey goalkeeper Mouez Hassen went to the floor injured. This enabled treatment at the precise moment of sundown and players were not only seen rehydrating with water, but consuming glucose-rich dates by the touchline.
Egypt
The Egyptian FA hired nutritional specialists to ensure Ramadan caused minimal disruption to their preparations. The outcome was not entirely successful, however, as the team failed to win a single pre-tournament match. A number of clerics weighed in with interpretations of whether athletes were able to break the fast and, if so, for how long. The FA issued a statement insisting they were “determined” to last the entire month but Egypt’s Grand Mufti Shawki Allam granted exemption to the team.
Nigeria
Nigeria’s heterogenous religious mix has left coach Gernot Rohr with fewer challenges than some of his peers in African football. He has, however, been more outspoken about the consequences of fasting. The forward Ahmed Musa and defender Shehu Abdullahi have both been observing Sawm and, despite Nigeria not playing until Sunday, Rohr is expected to rest the pair. “For the first game, it will not be easy to put it fasting away,” the German said. “It will be difficult to regain the energy lost in such a short time.”
Senegal
A majority Muslim country, Senegal have faced the same issues. “Everyone knows that high-level football isn’t compatible with Ramadan,” the coach Aliou Cissé, himself a Muslim, told local media. “I am responsible for the health of these players.” Cissé did not elaborate on how he planned to address the issue, but it has been reported in Senegal that the players collectively agreed not to fast ahead of the World Cup.