Ahead of the beginning of Ramadan, our Academy Players were delivered sessions on Islam and Cultural Awareness and Ramadan Awareness and Guidance.
The session was delivered to a variety of age groups ranging from U9s to U14s and were designed to explain the considerations for clubs and teammates in relation to training and matches such as nutrition, hydration and sleep for players observing Ramadan. They also explained the culture adopted by Muslims playing in English football today.
Head of Academy Player Care Eddie Odhiambo told us
“The session was great for increasing the awareness for the players and staff around culture and specifically the considerations for Muslim players during Ramadan.
“The players engaged superbly, asking thoughtful questions, and taking on the information. We extend our thanks to Ismail Bhamji form Muslim Chaplains in Sport for sharing his knowledge and experiences with our club.
“I’m sure that going forward we will have a much greater appreciation for the differences and challenges in football for people observing Ramadan.
“We put the session on at this time in readiness of the beginning of Ramadan. We feel it’s always important to acknowledge, embrace and celebrate the cultural differences we are lucky to have in our sport.”