Balancing faith and sports: How players fast during Ramadan

For Muslim athletes around the world, the holy month of Ramadan presents a unique challenge: how to maintain peak performance while fasting from dawn to sunset. 

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is a time of spiritual reflection, fasting, and increased devotion. 

For athletes, however, especially those competing at high levels, balancing the physical demands of sports with the rigours of fasting can be a daunting task.

In football, where physical fitness and endurance are essential, players face the challenge of maintaining energy levels while fasting.

Nevertheless, from Egypt's Mohamed Salah to France's N'Golo Kante, several superstars observe Ramadan by fasting throughout the month.

Everton footballer Abdoulaye Doucoure told BBC Sport that he does not miss fasting during Ramadan and yet he has not had any problems.

"I fast every day. I don't miss any days. Sometimes playing football has been hard because Ramadan has been in the summer and during pre-season. But I have always been lucky to practise Ramadan and there have never been problems with my physical condition. I am grateful for that," he said.

Proper nutrition and hydration are key components of a successful fasting strategy. Athletes focus on consuming nutrient-dense foods during Sehri and Iftar to ensure they are getting the necessary nutrients and energy to fuel their performance. Hydration is also crucial, and athletes make a concerted effort to drink plenty of fluids during non-fasting hours to prevent dehydration.

Adaptation is another important aspect of fasting during Ramadan. Athletes learn to listen to their bodies and adjust their training intensity and volume as needed to avoid overexertion. 

Dr Zafar Iqbal, head of sports medicine at Crystal Palace, said some players start fasting a few days before Ramadan as well so that their bodies can adapt quickly.

Iqbal, along with the club nutritionist, prepares a tailor-made diet chart for each player and remains extremely careful to not give them carbohydrate-laden foods while they are breaking their fast.

"When their fast opens we've got to be careful not to give them foods which are energy-rich such as fried or high sugar foods. Because the body has not had food for a long period of time during the day, as soon as you put excess food into the body and it doesn't get used up, it's going to get stored as fat," he said.

"We have to be careful, especially during Ramadan, that the players don't gain excess fat. The only way to do that is to make sure they are eating the right kind of foods as well."

Similarly, in cricket, where matches can span entire days, players must strategise their training and nutrition to navigate the fasting period effectively. 

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja said he really enjoys fasting despite the physical toll during matches or training sessions.

"It's something I believe in really strongly, something I love doing and I hate missing it so I try and do everything I can to do it," he said.

"But obviously during games it's a bit hard to have enough water and to stay switched on."

Still, Khawaja makes sure he does everything as well as he can while fasting. "And if I'm not doing it as well as I can, I will stop doing it and catch it up later on, which is always an option," he added.

The mental aspect of fasting during Ramadan is equally significant for athletes. South African cricketer Hashim Amla thinks so too. "It really helps with my conditioning," the batsman told Independent.

"Fasting is something I always look forward to. It's the best month of the year for me. 

"Physically yes, you do feel thirsty and hungry. I see it as a great mental exercise. But most importantly, it is a great spiritual exercise as well," Amla said.