Newcastle United Create Prayer Room for Muslim Players to Worship Before Games

Seven first-team stars of the English football team, Newcastle United, are devout followers of Islam and had been using various rooms at the stadium to worship before games.

Football stars looking for divine intervention in a bid for victory now have a prayer room at their stadium. Newcastle United football club provided the area for Muslim players to worship before matches.

An insider said: "We believe we now have more Muslims in our first-team squad than any other team in the Premier League, so it is important to look after them. "They have been using various rooms at the ground to worship before games. Now they will get a proper prayer room."

Seven first-team stars - Papiss Cisse, Cheick Tiote, Hatem Ben Arfa, Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Moussa Sissoko, and Mehdi Abeid - are devout followers of Islam.

And former striker Demba Ba, now with Chelsea, would often lead teammates in prayer before games. The insider added: "Prayer has become an important part of the build-up to big games. "Demba was the most devout of all the players. He would regularly pray before big games, and be joined by teammates. It helped build a bond between them".

The prayer room can be used by players of all faiths, the club said.

(Adapted from: Newcastle United create prayer room for Muslim players to worship before games - Mirror Online): https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/newcastle-united-create-prayer-room-1807302

Question: Based on what you have learnt in Chapter 8 on 'Cross-Cultural and Diversity', why do you think the football team prepared a prayer room for their prayers? Which cultural value dimensions do you believe this team has? Explain your answers.