The 2012 London Olympics have been plunged into controversy by the discovery that the Games will clash with Ramadan, the most holy month in the Islamic calendar.

The clash will put Muslim athletes at a disadvantage as they will be expected to fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire duration of the Games.

Bitch, bitch, bitch. I guess the Muslim countries could always sit this one out, right? After all, participation in the Olympics isn't mandatory, but submission to the wacky desert God is...

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said: "They would not have organised this at Christmas. It is equally stupid to organise it at Ramadan.

Hosting the summer Olympics at Christmas would be a little foolish... although, the winter Olympics might get a better viewership if it was, indeed hosted over the holidays. Of course, with something like Ramadan that moves all over the calendar like a cockroach on a ham sandwich, the Olympic comittee should not be expected to keep up. Where were the Islamic councils and the Imams when London was making te bid?

And Muslim countries such as Turkey are calling for the date to be changed.

Togay Bayalti, president of the National Olympic Committee of Turkey, said: "This will be difficult for Muslim athletes.

"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.

"It would be nice for the friendship of the Games if they had chosen a different date."

The "friendship" of the games? Dare I translate, folks?

"If you do not change the dates, we will riot in the streets of London as we do in the streets of Paris..."