Muslims have a major problem with the 2012 Olympic Games, to be hosted in London, it appears. The dates of the 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.
Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said:
"They would not have organised this at Christmas. It is equally stupid to organise it at Ramadan. It shows a complete lack of awareness and sensitivity. This is going to disadvantage the athletes and alienate the Asian communities by saying they don't matter.It's not only going to affect the participants it's going to affect all the people who want to watch the Games. They won't want to travel during Ramadan and they won't want to watch sport. It's a spiritual time."
Their call. We will miss them but there you go. Some Muslims seem to feel that the world must change to accommodate their wishes. They need to get over themselves, don't you think?
The answer is simple; let all the disadvantaged muslims compete in the Paralympics, which follows on from the mainstream bunch!
Posted by: Mike Cunningham | October 15, 2006 at 10:45 AM
"They would not have organised this at Christmas."
He's right, they would not have organised the Summer Olympics in late December, it must be an islamophobic conspiracy.
Posted by: Ross | October 15, 2006 at 11:28 AM
Ross,
You spotted the Crusader conspiracy too!!!
Posted by: David Vance | October 15, 2006 at 11:29 AM
I think they do have a point. It is something that should have been considered. On the other hand maybe it was and there was no way round it.
If we could have had it a bit earlier would that have been a major problem.
Muslim is a world wide religion and the Olympics is a world wide sporting event. Sport for All, if we can!
Posted by: aileen | October 15, 2006 at 11:42 AM
Their most memorable appearance was the 1972 Munich Olympics.
I can't remember - did their Fatah team get the gold for the massacre event?
I am surprised that they would even think of entering, they must have skins like rhinos....
Posted by: Ernest Young | October 15, 2006 at 12:08 PM
Are any of the terrorists which were involved in the 1972 Massacre going to compete in these Olympics? Indeed they must have skins like rhinos
Posted by: aileen | October 15, 2006 at 12:13 PM
The point of a spiritual exercise is that you give things up. Not have them rearranged to suit you.
There is a problem for Islam now in that they have lost the right to have their complaints taken seriously. If it’s not novels it's cartoons. If it's not the Pope it's Jack Straw.
So like a spoilt child their whining tends to be ignored now. A spiritual time? Or a manifestation of the fanaticism that many people now perceive as a threat.
Posted by: Henry94 | October 15, 2006 at 12:30 PM
The point of the Olympics to to get the best athletes out there competing. What people may or should do to be spiritual is not really the point.
Posted by: aileen | October 15, 2006 at 12:34 PM
Aileen
Muslims? Spritual? Ha ha.
Posted by: Stu | October 15, 2006 at 12:44 PM
Spiritual even.
Posted by: Stu | October 15, 2006 at 12:46 PM
There is a problem for Islam now in that they have lost the right to have their complaints taken seriously.
Just like Christians and those of other faiths, if so...
If it’s not novels it's cartoons. If it's not the Pope it's Jack Straw.
...as this all sounds mighty familiar, only the names have changed.
And of course if it's not 90 days detention without due process, then it's 28 days. If it's not torture then it's extraordinary rendition. If it's not racial profiling then it's DWM (driving while muslim). If it's not WMD then it's 400-600K people dead.
Posted by: Frank O'Dwyer | October 15, 2006 at 12:58 PM
Stu
Why wouldn't they be spiritual? I don't really know one way or the other. My point was that it isn't about what they should deny themselves for their faith but how we get the best talent at the Olympics.
Posted by: aileen | October 15, 2006 at 01:02 PM
"the best talent at the Olympics."
I have come to believe that it will be the case of the best available Chemist winning!
Posted by: Mike Cunningham | October 15, 2006 at 01:58 PM
Oh boo hoo. Indeed David they need to stop taking themselves so seriously. Islamic Human Rights concentrating on the human rights issues in Islam that REALLY matter. LOL.
Posted by: alison | October 15, 2006 at 02:34 PM
If it's not racial profiling then it's DWM (driving while muslim).
How about 'exploding while muslim', or even 'beheading while muslim'? In fact FOD, you've got me started: so many come into mind when I think of those adherents of the RoP.
Posted by: Allan@Aberdeen | October 15, 2006 at 02:40 PM
ahhh its that favorite of ATW (nee nazi) exploits, AGAIN. collective punishment. and all after defending the rights of holocaust deniars.
Posted by: daytripper | October 15, 2006 at 04:27 PM
Hmm, let's see. How many female athletes are forbidden by Sharia law to participate in any Olympics? Quite a number. Iran forbids all female participation, end of story. (Did they have one in Athens and she had to dress in a horse-blanket?)
Most Islamic countries are very reluctant to allow their women to participate at all, even when their religious laws "allow" this. Most discriminate heavily against female athletes.
So, here's the deal, Fanny style. If Muslim girls aren't allowed to compete then Muslim boys should be discouraged as well. If they wish to lift the ban on sportswomen then let the Olympic schedule be moved a month to accommodate Ramadan.
Seems fair and just to me.
Posted by: Fanny | October 15, 2006 at 04:36 PM
Lost for an argument again DT?
Posted by: alison | October 15, 2006 at 05:10 PM
no, just exposing the daily witch-hunt.
Posted by: daytripper | October 15, 2006 at 05:39 PM
One of the effects of the Olympic building programme will be that the largest church in England - Kingsway International Christian Centre - will be compulsorily acquired and put out of use as a church building/demolished/whatever - whereas a massive new mosque will be built. See the symbolism here for the UK: the biggest church is to be replaced by a mega-mosque. Re the mosque, see
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1892780,00.html
Posted by: Terry | October 15, 2006 at 06:48 PM
Dont you have a comment on the irony of an organisation named islamic human rights worrying its little self over the Olympic games? Whilst for example Nazanin prepares to hang? Or whilst generally female participants wont get a chance anyway? So many other injustices committed in Islams name go unchallenged by it. They wish to foot stamp over such trivialities and make the fuss. Everyone else is entitled to comment on it. That doesn make us nazis DT. Deal with it.
Posted by: alison | October 15, 2006 at 06:56 PM
Terry - the mosque doesnt have planning permission yet. Christians should start threatening, burning flags and going mental imho.
Posted by: alison | October 15, 2006 at 06:58 PM
Have the Olympics ever been held at Christmas?
Posted by: Hugh Green | October 15, 2006 at 07:07 PM
Alison,
Christians should start threatening, burning flags and going mental imho.
Apropos of the GW Bush Snr: Atheists are "not citizens"? thread, do you think it would be alright if we atheists also burned flags and went mental? Solidarity and all that!
Posted by: Alan McDonald | October 15, 2006 at 07:07 PM
Hugh, the answer is no. Even the Melbourne olympics ended on December 8, 1956.
Posted by: Alan McDonald | October 15, 2006 at 07:14 PM