This may be old news, but it's the first time I've read about it so here's a story about the 2012 Olympics, to be held in London:

Muslims' anger as London Olympics clash with Ramadan

Unlike Christmas, Ramadan moves around, and apparently in 2012 it is scheduled for the end of July and most of August. In the UK, that's also around the time the schools are closed for 6 weeks in the summer, and when everyone in the world wants to go on holiday. And in our rainy climate it's probably the best best for at least some sunshine. Hence, it's a great time to be hosting the summer Olympics.

Not good enough for Muslims. It's also Ramadan, and Muslims can't eat from sunrise to sunset during Ramadan. So they will be disadvantaged, according to the report. And why exactly is this the problem of the London Olympics?

The Olympics only come around every four years. Ramadan is an annual thing. Here's the perfect solution: move Ramadan. Just this once. It's still 5 years away, after all. With a bit of rescheduling it should be fairly straightforward shouldn't it?

Alternatively if Muslims want to take part in an international sporting event which has no connection or association with religion whatsoever, remind them that they have to take part when and where the event is actually being held. They can't ask it to be moved because it's a bad time for them. Nobody is forcing them to fast during the day - not even Islam. The Turkish Olympic president says as much: "They don't have to observe Ramadan if they are doing sport and travelling but they will have to decide whether it is important to them."

Exactly. They don't have to observe Ramadan. So their religion is even telling them it's okay. What exactly is the problem here?

Perhaps the most ridiculous comment of all is this one:

They would not have organised this at Christmas. It is equally stupid to organise it at Ramadan.

Know why they wouldn't organise it at Christmas? Because in the UK that's in the middle of fucking winter and these are the summer Olympics, stupid. And, of course, Christmas doesn't move around the calendar every year like a lost dog.

There are three options here:

• Knowing they will be fasting, adapt the athletes' training regime accordingly. When the Olympics were held at altitude, in Mexico City, athletes worked around it. They didn't complain that the city was too high up for them. They dealt with it. And the Jamaican bobsleigh team (winter Olympics, obviously) don't even have any snow in Jamaica, but they get off their arses and have a go anyway.

• Break the fast around the time of their events, which their religion allows them to do.

• Stay at home, sulk, and blame the 2012 Olmpics committee for staging the Games on the most advantageous dates for the remainder of the world.

Besides, half the Muslim countries don't allow their women to take part at all, so how fair is that? When they start giving equal opportunities to women, maybe they might have a case. Until then, don't come complaining about what your religion forces you to do.

Either way, don't bother us about the date of the 2012 Olympics again. We've got enough to worry about with the crappy pink logo they designed for it: