Fasting and elite sport wouldn’t seem to mix if you thought about it. But, yet again, Premier League stars will observe their religion and ensure their performances don’t suffer.
Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will not publicly speak about their intentions, but they are two devout Muslims who do observe Ramadan. It is what they’ve done for all their careers.
This Saturday the holy month will begin, ending with the celebration of Eid on May 2. Muslims around the world will observe the practice of fasting during daylight hours. That means no food or fluids will be consumed in that time. It is a practice to cleanse the soul and mind.
Salah and Mane are both proud of their faiths. They celebrate their goals by performing sujood, the Islamic act of prostration. And they are expected to take part in Ramadan. But sometimes they can break their fast as there are exceptions. Like when travelling certain distances or when there is a need to.
As Kop boss Jurgen Klopp has said in the past, their religion is private and they won’t be making declarations on when or when they are not observing fasting. What they will ensure is they won’t let it affect their performances.
Both Salah and Mane’s stats have previously shown no signs of dipping off when playing during the holy month. They will tailor their training around fasting to ensure they remain at peak performance. Muslim Chaplains in Sport (MCS) is a group which offers support to Premier League and EFL clubs ahead of and during Ramadan. Liverpool - and title rivals Manchester City - are two of the leading clubs to work with the group.
Clubs involved seek Islamic guidance from MCS on behalf of their Muslim players, including regarding issues such as deferring fasts so their performances in training and during matches are not affected. Liverpool face a particularly gruelling April with Premier League fixtures against Watford, Manchester City, Manchester United, Everton and Newcastle. They also have an FA Cup semi-final against City, a two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Benfica and potentially a first leg of a semi-final in the latter competition if they progress.
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MCS managing director Ismail Bhamji told BBC Sport : "Although there is no Islamic ruling for athletes, we provide advice on how they can keep their fasts and discuss whether they qualify for exemptions, such as when they are travelling or are ill. Muslim footballers come from a varying array of backgrounds and we have to find solutions that would work for all to practise their faith.”
The coming month will see some differences during evening games in the Premier League and Champions League. With the UK now in BST, sunset is now after evening games will kick off. So when Liverpool take on Manchester United later in April, expect Salah and Mane to take on fluids once the sun sets.
There is no specific timing for games to be stopped or rule, but captains can request a drinks break at an appropriate moment in the game for players to break their fast. It is an informal agreement which also happened last season. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) are also due to undergo a seminar to better understand Ramadan. Football is ensuring it can be as inclusive as possible but the players themselves are the ones leading by example on the matter.
