Multicultural Round Planning Meeting

Team Indonesia's cultural performers at the 2011 Harmony
Cup. Photo: Nasya Bahfen

Several AFL Multicultural Community Ambassadors attended a discussion on the planning of Multicultural Round at AFL House, Docklands today. We covered some of the barriers to people from our communities attending footy - from a Muslim perspective that would be perceptions about the widespread presence of alcohol, a lack of halal food, and a place to pray. While dry areas and prayer rooms exist, we were in agreement that not many people were aware of these facilities, so both AFL marketing and we as ambassadors have a part to play in making sure they are aware of them.

Or, to put it another way, I have something to reply with when someone tells me going to the footy is haram (impermissible) because the booze is free-flowing and I might miss a prayer.

My fellow multicultural community ambassador Rana Hussain once said that it was heartening to see the AFL make an effort, when it came to building a relationship with our community. With last year's announcement of prayer rooms at all AFL venues (Rana and Bachar Houli of Richmond were instrumental in this), and existing dry areas, it seems that halal pies would be the icing on the cake, for an Aussie Muslim footy experience. #creepingsharia

Oh, and Rana and I prayed Maghrib next to the Brownlow Medal in the AFL House lobby. There's a candidate for the strangest place I've done sholat.