Balancing act - holy fasting and playing to win

In the penultimate Ramadan before the fasting month controversially collides with the 2012 Olympics, Singaporean golfer Mardan Mamat provided inspiration to Muslims across Asia, proving that maybe it can be a case of mind over matter. Mamat won the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia on August 21 after a play-off, despite not being able to have a drop of water during all four rounds, played in scorching heat at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur. The 42-year-old dropped to his knees in prayer (pictured) after sinking a birdie putt from 10 feet to beat Thailand's Pariya Junhasavasdikul on the first extra hole to cap a remarkable tale of overcoming the odds. Ramadan will end on or around Friday with Eid Al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday that sees followers return to normal eating and drinking habits. In 2012, Ramadan is projected for July 20 to August 20, meaning the entire 30th Olympiad in London from July 27 to August 12 will take place during the fasting period, potentially affecting the chances of an estimated 3,000 Muslim athletes. 'They would not have organised this at Christmas,' said Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, during a 2008 interview. 'It is equally stupid to organise it at Ramadan and shows a complete lack of awareness and sensitivity. This is going to disadvantage the [Muslim] athletes.' But according to Mamat, there are as many pros as cons when it comes to his experience of playing during Ramadan. 'You have to fight and overcome your mind but it can also help you focus better,' Mamat said. 'You feel like you are doing two things at the same time when fasting and playing golf. 'People say they're amazed and asked me how I do it, but I'm amazed too. This is a month of blessings and my victory was truly a blessing.' Ahead of each round, Mamat woke up at 4.30am for a meal of beef, rice and bread and by 5.45am he was praying for the first of five times during the day. A late tee time of 11.40am on the second day meant Mamat didn't finish his round until 4pm, almost 12 hours after his last food and drink. Not surprisingly, he carded a three-over-75, by far his worst round of the tournament. 'I was playing in the very hot part of the day and I started to feel a bit tired after the 13th hole,' he said. 'But while the body may be tired, the spirit is still there to win.' He proved that by finishing with rounds of 65 and 69 before clinching victory. Mamat is one of thousands of elite Muslim athletes who face the challenge of combining their professional and spiritual lives, sometimes in an environment less than supportive of ascetic practices. Last year, then Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho was embroiled in a controversy for hauling off midfielder Sulley Muntari after 30 minutes of a Serie A match against Bari and then claiming the under-performing Ghana international should not have been fasting. Mourinho is now head coach of Real Madrid, the Spanish club who World Cup star Mesut Oezil joined last month soon after the start of Ramadan for a reported Euro15 million (HK$149 million). The Turkish-German midfielder has chosen not to fast 'because you have to drink and eat a lot to stay at peak fitness'. His actions had been ratified by Islamic academics at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. At the request of German football officials, the scholars had issued a 'fatwa' that an exception to strict Ramadan fasting rules could be made for professional athletes. Another way round the law is to enforce the travellers' dispensation, which allows food and drink when the individual makes a journey. On match days in the Bundesliga, FC Cologne's Lebanese captain Youssef Mohamed takes a trip a few kilometres down the autobahn to have a substantial meal before driving to the RheinEnergieStadion ahead of kick-off. In countries like Germany and Spain, the actions of Oezil and Mohamed in the name of business cause little controversy. But in Muslim countries within the Middle East and Asia, football schedules are gladly turned upside down to accommodate fasting players. Matches in the United Arab Emirates kick off after 10pm after teams have had a chance to pray and break their fast at sunset. In Indonesia and Malaysia, training sessions often stretch well past midnight. 'As a coach looking for optimum performance, it can be challenging but you've got to fit in with the local culture and traditions,' said Sabah's Gary Phillips, the only foreign manager in the Malaysian Premier League. 'Generally, my players will sleep four hours after late-night training and then another four hours during the day.' Abbas Saad, the first Muslim to play soccer for Australia at senior international level in the 1990s, believes that fasting never overly affected his performance as he received the 'absolute respect' of his teammates and coaches. Even so, he echoed the widespread view that Olympic delegates got it wrong with the scheduling of the 2012 Summer Games. London 2012 officials are working with the Muslim Council of Great Britain to find ways to accommodate fasting athletes during the 16-day multi-sports event. 'I think the timing stinks and I'm sure that it could have been avoided by Olympic organisers who didn't think twice before releasing their schedule,' Saad said. 'Either way, the show must go on and I am sure God will give the athletes strength to compete at their best and beyond.' Food for thought The 2012 Olympics will fall during Ramadan Estimated number of Muslim competitors expected at the London Games: 3,000