Sports complexes designate areas for prayer

Sports complexes designate areas for prayer

NEWARK, N.J. — In what may be the first such designation in the nation, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority will set aside areas at Giants Stadium and Continental Airlines Arena for fans who want to pray, officials said.

The decision, which follows the detention of five Muslim men seen kneeling in prayer at a Sept. 19 New York Giants football game, was hailed by stadium officials and Islamic leaders.

“I think that we handled this situation with sensitivity, and it’s the right thing,” said George Zoffinger, the sports authority’s president and chief executive. “We reached out to the people in the community who felt offended and we put in an expert on both Muslim culture and religion to address all our staff in terms of the sensitivities involved.”

Zoffinger said stadium and arena staff members are still trying to determine which areas would be set aside and when they would open. Once the areas are designated, fans of any faith who want to pray would be directed by stadium staff to the appropriate areas.