Halal Food in Rio Olympics 2016
Athletes from 208 countries will compete in over 40 sports categories during the games.
Providing Halal food, meanwhile, has been an important issue for the organizers given the presence of Muslims from different countries in Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Islamic Center of Brazil, following 8 months of hard work and meetings with representatives of different countries, prepared and proposed to the International Olympic Committee (IPC) a comprehensive plan on preparing Halal food for Muslim athletes during the games.
The plan, which is based on the teachings of Islam and draws on the experience of the Islamic Center of Brazil over the years, includes detailed regulations on how to prepare Halal food.
A Halal kitchen and eatery has been planned in the Olympic Village in Rio specifically for Muslim athletes and other members of the participating teams
Regular inspections will be made during the games to make sure that the food offered there is prepared strictly based on Halal standards.
The restaurants and eateries in the Olympic Village cook some 65000 meals a day for over 18,000 athletes and participants. 8000 of those are prepared for Muslims and will have Halal tags.
Apart from athletes, those who have travelled to Rio to watch the games can also eat Halal meals in many of the city’s restaurants and tourism sites.
Their Halal meals are also prepared under the supervision of the Islamic Center of Brazil.
The center, headed by Hojat-ol-Islam Sheikh Talib Khazraji, has been active in promoting Islam in Brazil for some 27 years.
Islam is a minority religion in Brazil, first brought by African slaves and then by Lebanese and Syrian immigrants.
It is not independently included in charts and graphics representing religions in Brazil, being grouped in "other religions”, which generally represent about one percent of the country’s population.
