Ramadan 2022: Late-night sports sessions offer chance to play

Two Welsh sporting bodies have opened late-night sessions to allow Muslims observing Ramadan to play sport.

Glamorgan Cricket and Wales Golf are running free sessions at night throughout April for the first time.

Ramadan is a major religious festival observed by Muslims across the world, and involves fasting during daylight hours.

Around 45 people attended the first cricket session.

"The Ramadan Cricket Festival came about from speaking to members of the community we already do sessions with. They asked for something they could do after they break their fast," said Mojeid Ilyas, diverse communities development officer for Glamorgan Cricket and Cricket Wales.

"We chose to put on a four-week programme of indoor tape ball cricket."

Tape ball cricket is a type of cricket which is popular in South Asian communities, and involves taping a tennis ball with electric tape. This means players don't have to wear protective equipment.

Mr Ilyas said it was important to be inclusive in sport.

"When you enter into the stadium you know you can celebrate your Welshness. It doesn't matter [what] your race, religion, culture, gender or anything [is]."

Ismail Chowdhury, who volunteers at the sessions, said he was really glad people were making the most of the opportunity.

"We're bringing people back together again, especially after the two or three years we've had with coronavirus restrictions," he said.

Haris Jamil, who took part in the first session, said it was "just amazing" and he had enjoyed spending quality time with the community.

In 2020, former Glamorgan cricketer Mohsin Arif told the Telegraph there had been preferential treatment for white players at the county, but last year he praised the club for trying to support cricketers from minority ethnic communities to play at the top level.

Mark Frost, development and community manager for Glamorgan Cricket and Cricket Wales, said the scheme "definitely is a step forward."

"We know that we're not perfect and the whole game could be more accommodating to all members of the community," he said.

"We have a really clear plan now of making sure the staff here at Glamorgan are all trained and aware of the diverse cultures that we work in, that the pathway here is as fair and open as possible, and that when you come to Sophia Gardens you'll be made to feel welcome and feel at home and see people like you."

Wales Golf are also opening facilities at Parc Golf Club, Newport.

"For us, it was a perfect opportunity to engage the community, to get some trust and build that relationship, " said Simon Lu, Women and Girls coordinator at Golf Wales .

The session attracted first-timers as well as more experienced golfers.

"Next year we hope more sporting organisations will be inspired to put on activities for the Muslim community, but also golf and the world of golf can take note and we can spread out the opportunities," he said.

Jalal Goni runs Amar Cymru, a grassroots group of Wales football supporters of South Asian heritage. He brought along members to have a taster session.

"In the Muslim community there's a big unity, especially when it comes to Ramadan," he said.

"[Golf's] normally an affluent sport played by normally a British, white man, you don't see people of our ethnicity playing that.

He said the scheme had helped hugely in helping people find a way into the sport.

"It makes it so much easier for people to get in to golf now," he said. "Finally I can hit the ball now, and I'm looking forward to next week."