An unusual moment occurred in the 67th minute when Gor Mahia faced Kariobangi Sharks at the Dandora Stadium on Wednesday evening.
With the ball out of play, Gor Mahia left-back Levin Odhiambo was stripped and ready to enter the fray as the fourth official raised the substitution board indicating that Sylvester Owino was to make way for the former Tusker man.
However, in a jiffy, that substitution was never to be as Alphonce Omija raised his hand towards the bench signaling that he could not continue anymore and he should come off instead.
A moment of gentle chaos ensued on the touchline as the Kariobangi Sharks technical bench protested that Owino’s number had already been shown and he should come off.
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Gor however insisted that they had a change of mind and ultimately had their way with play resuming initially before Omija eventually came off during the next break.
Ordinarily, players tend to get themselves out of the game probably due to injuries or being slightly uncomfortable.
Why was Gor Mahia defender Alphonce Omija substituted?
But speaking to SportPesa Blog after the game, Omija’s reason was none of the above and something that does not happen too much.
“I could not get through the entire 90 minutes because I am fasting due to Ramadan. The fast started at 4 am and will last till 6 pm. I simply did not have the energy to continue during the game. I was not injured or anything, just tired,” he revealed to SportPesa Blog.
Paul Ochuoga, who was also fasting during the game but managed the full game, echoed the same sentiments at full time.
“I managed to get the 90 minutes but I feel exhausted. The game was also really hard,” he said.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer (salah), reflection, and community.
It is also the month in which the Quran is believed to have been revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
The annual observance of Ramadan is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and lasts twenty-nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.
This year’s Ramadan is expected to run from 1 to 29 March.
In England, Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui was allowed to break his Ramadan fast during Man United’s FA Cup match against Fulham.
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