Adam Sweid became the seventh Muslim to reach the top flight of AFL football when the Fremantle Dockers selected him at the National Draft with pick No. 25.
A participant of the Bachar Houli Foundation’s (BHF) academies since the age of 12, Sweid also became the second academy graduate to be drafted to the AFL following Saad El-Hawli in 2024.
The small midfielder was an All Australian at the National Championships and was named in Coates Talent League team of the year after averaging 25 disposals in 13 games.
Sweid said “It was an unbelievable feeling, and such a surreal moment to be drafted.”
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity,” Sweid told fremantlefc.com.au.
Hailing from a Lebanese household out of Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the importance of family was never lost on Sweid throughout his journey.
“One of the reasons I pushed so hard was because of them (my family),” he said.
“They wanted to see me get to the highest level, and I’m just so proud. Dad is definitely my motivation; he worked every day for us (five) kids and I just want to give back to him.”
A video shared to social media captured the moment Sweid was drafted, showing him getting swarmed by friends and family, and quickly becoming very popular online.
“I think most of the views are from me…I’ve probably watched the video fifty to one-hundred times,” Sweid said.
“You don’t get many Muslims getting drafted…I told a lot of family to stay home because I was nervous, then my dad said to bring them all in.”
For Adam Sweid, faith has always been central.
“It’s the most important thing in the world.”
“I make sure I do my five daily prayers and I make sure I give back to God when I can,” he said.
“We’re all the same, there’s actually no impact when I am playing footy, [being a Muslim] is the same as being any type of person.”
Sweid acknowledged the BHF in his development, saying “They’ve had the most impact of anyone by far.”
“Bachar Houli, Ali Fahour and Ahmed Saad – they’ve done so much for me, and their program has been absolutely wonderful,” he said.
Head of BHF Programs & High-Performance Ahmed Saad said “Adam and his family deserve so much credit. I’ve known him since he was 12 when he first came into our academies and even back then he was mature, committed and always willing to learn. Seeing how far he’s come makes all of us proud.”
Sweid was a part of the inaugural Year 11 cohort for the Islamic College of Sport, powered by the BHF – an independent senior secondary school, offering young Muslim students an opportunity to pursue their passion for sport in a religiously and culturally welcoming environment
“The Islamic College of Sport played a big part in his journey. He worked hard in the classroom and on the field, and he set a great example for everyone around him.”
“What I love most about Adam is how he carries his faith. His community means a lot to him, and he always stays humble. Watching him grow into someone others look up to has been really special,” Saad said.
Sweid hopes to be a role model for aspiring Islamic footballers across Australia.
“I want my younger cousins to look up to me,” Sweid said.
“Next year we have Khaled El Souki, Blake Justice, they’re two boys coming up…I truly believe that the talent is coming and there’s going to be a few boys that are picked up (from BHF) over the next few years.”
Fremantle Football Club’s Executive GM of Football, Joe Brierty said Sweid was “Someone we looked at very closely.”
“He’s very composed, loves the contest as well, and as you would’ve seen in the media, it is really special for him, his family, and his community to get drafted.”
“We should acknowledge the work that the Bachar Houli Foundation has done in developing ‘Sweidy’ as well, and great that they could have two draftees in the crop combine this year,” Brierty said.
