BAY. FC Lahti’s training sessions run furiously on Kisapuisto’s artificial turf. During the drink break, others come to have a drink, but Altin Zeqiri and Irfan Sadiq do not glance in the direction of the bottles. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is about to begin and Muslim players are not allowed to eat or drink during daylight hours.
For professional athletes, 16-17 hours without food is a long time, but you get used to fasting.
– It may sound absurd to some who are not Muslims. Usually it takes the first four days, says Sadik, 24, who has returned to the Mustie Kuhnurien shirt for this season.
– I just talked to a couple of teammates about the topic last week, and they wondered how you could do it. I said they could do it too, but they didn’t believe it, Zeqiri, 22, one of the key players from Lahti, continues.
The only exception is away game days, when breaking the fast is allowed.
FC Lahti has a total of four players celebrating Ramadan, in addition to Zeqir and Sadik Arian Kabashi and Yusif Ali. Physical trainer Mika Heino says that the exceptional period has been planned and taken into account for years.
– On a day-to-day basis, we react according to what kind of feelings the players have and lighten the training if necessary. Every day is a little different for everyone, and even by force some days have effects. We have never had to miss games, Heino states.
– For example, after the match against IFK Mariehamn last Sunday, one of the players said that his legs felt heavy. Of course, when you don’t get energy evenly, sleep is interrupted during anabolic sleep and you are awake for a while, it might take a while to get back to sleep.
“Relieves feeling mentally and physically”
Zeqiri, a Finnish-Kosovo citizen, says that he noticed that when the acids are raging in games, recovery is slower during Ramadan. Sometimes getting back to sleep is difficult, but waking up at night to eat is also a matter of getting used to. In the big picture, Ramadan is an important time for Muslims.
– It is an important thing in our religion and one of the pillars of Islam. It has many positive health effects, and it brings a lot of mental strength, Zeqiri praises.
– It makes you feel better both mentally and physically. When you devote yourself fully to fasting, you don’t really have to worry about anything, says the former national team striker Berat Sadik too little brother comps.
Heino reminds that during the permitted mealtimes, the players must fill up with a lot of food in order to get through a long day, sometimes including two practices, as well as possible.
– The players optimize the time when they are allowed to eat and it is optimized so well that energy comes in and the number of calories is large. Over the course of the day, so many calories are consumed that they do not have time to get enough of them.
– There has never been anything like the players’ weight dropping drastically during the month. A small weight difference can often be caused by a lower than normal amount of fluid.
Sadik and Zeqiri say that eating is quite normal despite the exceptional times.
– Usually between eight and nine in the evening, basic food, rice and chicken and pasta. In the evening before going to bed, I often have a protein smoothie, says Zeqiri.
– You have to try to fill up with electrolytes and magnesium, and of course water, but not any large liters, says Sadik.
Ramadan has been taken into account in the Premier League
In recent weeks, the English Premier League matches have had breaks after sunset, during which the players have been able to drink and eat. In total, in Britain, in the top four league levels, either in the first teams or in the academies is according to the BBC (you will switch to another service) 253 Muslim players.
Chelsea’s star striker Kalidou Koulibaly praised the league after the Liverpool game for how it has responded.
– It is incredibly great, and nothing similar has happened in other countries. I was really happy, and hopefully this will continue to happen, Koulibaly said after the Liverpool game at the beginning of April.
Zeqiri says that he also paid attention to the matter.
– It’s a really good thing and a positive thing. It shows that we (Muslims) are supported.
Perhaps the most famous Muslim players are Real Madrid, who won the Ballon d’Or last year Karim Benzema, of Liverpool Mohamed Salahof Chelsea N’Golo Kante and Manchester City Riyad Mahrez.
Benzema’s Ramadan hit the headlines last year when he at the end of the fasting day, upload a hat trick (you will switch to another service) To Chelsea’s net in the Champions League.
– Ramadan has no effect. It is a part of my life, and in my religion it is mandatory. It is very important to me and I feel good during fasting, Benzema has stated.
This year’s Ramadan is ending on Friday. Although you might imagine that returning to normal eating and drinking feels good, according to Sadik, that’s not quite the case.
– It’s the opposite, it even gives a little wistful feelings. It’s such an important month, but of course you can get back to the so-called normal routines.
Even a normal eating rhythm can be reached quickly.
– The stomach bag has shrunk a bit and when you get used to larger amounts of food, you have to take your food into the machine a little more calmly at first. You can get back into it pretty quickly, says Sadik.