Bachar Houli Discusses Playing Footy During Ramadan

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan started yesterday.

It’s the ninth month on the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims as a month of fasting, whereby eating, drinking, smoking and having sex is refrained from during daylight hours.

Naturally not being able to drink water during the day would make life tough for Muslim footy players, and Richmond defender Bachar Houli joined the Sunday Rub to shed some light on what it’s like for him during the holy month.

“We started yesterday, and people think it’s tough process, no food or drink,” he said.

“It is for a lot (of people), but for someone that’s been doing it for 20-odd years it’s second nature.

“Nothing really changes to be quite honest.”

Houli said he manages his meal in the lead up so that his body is ready for Ramadan.

“I kind of prepare for it a few weeks before it so it’s not a shock to the system… for me nothing really changes,” he said.

“The pre-dawn meal that I get up and have, which is quite tough, to get up at 4:30 and try to stack in a lot of carbs etcetera, but within a week your stomach starts to shrink so you don’t end up eating much as well once you break your fast.”

Houli said that hydration on game day during Ramadan isn’t an issue, despite not being able to drink water during daylight hours.

“I actually felt nice and light and energetic to be quite honest,” he said.

“Because I’ve been doing it for a long time, I know what works.

“I hydrate really well on nights and early, it just goes to show that there’s many ways of preparing pre-game, so basically I don’t drink or eat for 12 hours but then in two hours there’s enough for me to have enough food and enough drink through a game.

“So I don’t stuff myself at 5:15 when I break my fast, I just have enough to stop the stomach from rumbling and not over-hydrate as well.”

Listen to Bachar Houli’s full interview on the Sunday Rub here: