Canterbury Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri has vowed to maintain his strict observance of Ramadan despite the Islamic festival falling over Australia's National Rugby League finals.
During the month long period of Ramadan, those Muslims who observe Ramadan do not eat or drink anything between sun up and down.
Since beginning his career with the Bulldogs in 1996, El Masri has balanced football with his religious beliefs but has never had to fast during a finals series before.
With Saturday's elimination clash against the Eels scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm, there is some time for El Masri to refuel.
The New South Wales Origin winger is expected to eat a small meal before the match and will drink as much water as necessary to hydrate himself.
However, should be the Bulldogs beat their arch rivals, an even sterner test faces the Lebanese born player as his side will then have to travel to Melbourne to play the Storm at 4pm on Sunday week.
Hydration
The club, which is based in a highly multicultural area of Sydney, has set out a training program to help their winger cope with his sacrifice.
Bulldogs doctor Hugh Hazard said El Masri, who has become one of Australia's most well known Muslim sports stars, would be encouraged to get out of the sun whenever possible.
"It's mainly a hydration issue, and we'll just have to make sure he gets as much water as he can drink before sun-up and at night," Hazard said.
"Hazem is very strict about it. There was one time during a pre-season when he was younger and it was about 30 degrees, he was a bit of a mess."
The Islamic holy month has usually fallen during pre-season, and with the Bulldogs renowned for having one of the most gruelling preseason fitness regimes, El Masri has been known to lose several kilos during the course of a day's training, which has required him to drink three litres of water overnight to rehydrate.
"He will be OK. He's been doing it for quite a while now," Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes said.
"If he can do it through pre-season training, he can do it any time. It won't affect him. He's allowed to eat when the sun's come down and before it comes up.
"He's been coping with it for quite a few seasons. It changes every year. There have been times when we've been in the middle of full-on off-season training and he still manages to get through that OK. He'll be right."
"Tough"
Fellow Muslim and Australian boxer Nader Hamdan, said his El Masri would cope better playing at night rather than during daylight hours.
"It is going to hurt [El Masri], it is tough," Hamdan said.
"But he will handle it because he is a professional. I have sparred 12 rounds in the summer heat and I couldn't drink water. The worst part was the fight got cancelled.
"Once he gets out on the field, he won't be thinking about that."
Other Muslim athletes, such as India's Sania Mirza, have claimed that they have broken fast during Ramadan only to make up the time at a later date, which they claim is permissable according the Koran.