Muslims' anger as London Olympics clash with Ramadan

[seriousstan]

The 2012 London Olympics have been plunged into controversy by the discovery that the Games will clash with Ramadan, the most holy month in the Islamic calendar.

The clash will put Muslim athletes at a disadvantage as they will be expected to fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire duration of the Games.

In 2012, Ramadan will take place from July 21 to August 20, while the Olympics run from July 27 to August 12.

An anticipated 3,000 Muslim competitors are expected to be affected.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=410439&in_page_id=1770

[JoFerret]

1. Bugger religion

.

[DRoseDARs]

2. Blame the weather; I suppose the Brits are trying 2 find the mildest time.

eom

[Billy Ruffian]

3. Sigh.

The Olympics happen in late July, every 4 years.

Ramadan occurs on a regular schedule. I'm certain you can find out when Ramadan is for every single year for the next hundred years.

Eventually, there will be a conflict, as there will be in 2012. If that is going to affect your performance, well ... In'shallah.

[rockymountaindem]

4. I've been told by Muslim friends that

if for some reason you can't fast on a particular day during Ramadan, you can add an extra fast day or days onto the end of the holiday. If that's true I see no clash. The athletes can just adjust accordingly.

[Dick Diver]

5. There should be no conflict here.

Muslims are permitted to eat during Ramadan if they are traveling. I've often been on Saudia during Ramadan and noticed that Muslims do eat and drink. Most imams and practicing Muslims would, I would think, interpret traveling to the UK to participate in the Olympics as "being on travel."

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

22. We didn't fast today because we were driving back from Wichita to Dallas

I know Hakeem Olajuwon fasted while playing - you can do anything (or refrain from it) if you put your mind to it. It is true that if you miss a day of fasting you can make it up later.

[ECH1969]

6. They have every right to be angry

They should have known better and rescheduled the Olympics. Why do so many people around the world not care about Muslims?

[NaturalHigh]

8. Um...are you being serious?

Can you imagine the uproar it would cause if someone were to suggest on this board that a sporting event should be rescheduled so that it wouldn't conflict with a Jewish or Christian holiday?

[Poppyseedman]

9. The Olympics games predate Islam by a couple of millennium

they even predate Christianity by a millennium.

If they capitulate to Islam for Ramadan, how about Sunday for Christians, Saturday for Jews?

It's really all about who controls.

[Anakin Skywalker]

25. .

[msongs]

7. more threats and bullying by the world's most insecure religious group?

well guess what the world does not revolve around Islam no matter what the koran readers want to believe.

so get over it.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[texasleo]

19. thank you

[PsychoDad]

10. They need to look at it like Muslims....

Masha Allah!

This will simply give the Muslim athletes another obstacle to overcome during Ramadan, and this will result in greater reward from Allah.

So it is indeed a blessing from Allah.

Complaining is not the Muslim way. :( We accept then strive.

BTW: Muslim athletes around the world observe Ramadan as any other Muslim. You don't hear griping from Muslim football and basketball players.

Peace and Blessed Ramadan.

[rpannier]

11. Oh well.

Then they don't have to participate.
Some may consider my opinion callous. But, the rest of the world should not have to work their schedule around ANY religious group.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

12. It's just the Daily Mail stirring up shit nt

[petronius]

24. Yeah - the headline and "plunged into controversy" really

don't fit with the rest of the article. They found one guy to express some anger, but it looks like every other Muslim they asked just shrugged it off...

[Ignacio Upton]

13. Well this is the only real time when Britain can host it

The climate in the UK is much cooler than in the US, so their summers aren't as hot or as long. I say, don't capitulate.

[Thickasabrick]

14. Weather aside, the Olympics would never be scheduled during

the week of Christmas. Why? It would interfere with too many families plans.

I think this sucks.

[hopein08]

15. The Australian Open tennis tournament used to be over the...

Christmas holidays. Granted, that was the late 60s/early 70s. But my point is that nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

Especially with the secular "war on Christmas" (tongue in cheek, sort of).

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. Ever heard of Christmas Day football games?

:shrug:

I have.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

23. Of course they wouldn't schedule them during Christmas

Being that it's the SUMMER Olympics and all.....

[treestar]

16. Yeah, if the Olympics landed on a Christian holiday

There would be equal screaming.

[Rex]

17. Well, we are all supposed to die or something in 2012 so

let the games begin!

[genie_weenie]

18. Ha ha ha ha"They would not have organised this at Christmas.

it is equally stupid to organise it at Ramadan." said, Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission.

How dare they organize the Summer Olympics in... summer. Of course no one complains that this interupts my Secular Humanist Schedule of pushing my agenda...

[AngryAmish]

21. The Bears had to play Green Bay last Christmas

The Bears won. Deal with it.

[DireStrike]

26. Ramadan migrates, the Olympics are fixed

If you have a MONTH-LONG holiday migrating all over the western calendar, eventually it will come into conflict with things.