By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysian athletes competing in London Olympics are allowed to postpone Ramadan fast this year, said Malaysian Islamic and Olympic officials.

Malaysia's top religious authority, the National Fatwa Council, said that the decision is taken because the athletes are competing at an international event for the country.

"They are going to the Olympics to bring fame for the country. They can fast when they return to Malaysia," Mufti Harussani Zakaria, top religious official for the Malaysian state of Perak, told AFP on Monday. "The Quran says if you have a mission to complete, you can postpone the fasting but you must replace the number of days you did not fast," he stated.

Olympic Council of Malaysia's Secretary Sieh Kok Chi confirmed that competing Malaysian Olympic athletes would not fast. "It is a once in their lifetime chance to participate in the Olympics. They should opt out from fasting for one or two days so that they stand a chance of winning a medal," he told AFP.

Out of 30 athletes going for London Games, 2009 track cycling world championships silver medallist Azizulhasni Awang and 10 others are Muslim. They are participating in nine sports, including archery, cycling, shooting, sailing and track and field.

In 2006, Britain's The Daily Mail had reported London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission's criticism against International Olympic Committee (IOC) over the timings of Summer Games. Egypt, Morocco and Turkey had even called to reschedule it - a call rejected by the IOC, which claimed that the Games are a secular event.

The London Olympics is to begin from July 27. This is the first time since 1980 Moscow Olympics that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is falling with the Summer Games.

Muslims are forbidden from food, drink and sex from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, which began last week. They can break the fast after the sun sets through a meal called Iftar.

 

 

Malaysia Allows Its Olympians to Postpone Ramadan Fast