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30-09-2014, Tue 10:50 PM
http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/nfl-kansas-city-chiefs-player-husain-abdullah-penalized/story?id=25859886
NFL Says Kansas City Chiefs Player Shouldn't Have Been Penalized for PrayerSep 30, 2014, 11:24 AM ET
By SUSANNA KIM (http://abcnews.go.com/author/susanna_kim) Susanna Kim More from Susanna » (http://abcnews.go.com/author/susanna_kim)
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Husain Abdullah, of the Kansas City Chiefs, celebrates a touchdown in a game against the New England Patriots, Sept. 29, 2014.
ESPN
The Kansas City Chiefs (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/football/kansas-city-chiefs.htm) player who was penalized after kneeling to pray in the end zone Monday night should not have been flagged, an NFL (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/nfl.htm) spokesman said today.
Kansas City Chiefs' safety Husain Abdullah, a devout Muslim, was penalized 15 yards for "unsportsmanlike conduct" after he kneeled in prayer. He had run 39 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in the team’s 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/football/new-england-patriots.htm) at Arrowhead Stadium.
Slide, Prayer by Chiefs Player Brings Big Buzz (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/penalty-chiefs-player-ignites-social-media-25857756)
Kansas City Chiefs Fans Reclaim Guinness World Record for Crowd Noise (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/kansas-city-chiefs-fans-reclaim-guinness-world-record/story?id=25853256)
"Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following his fourth quarter touchdown," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ABC News in a statement.
He said he NFL's Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d) states "players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground."
"However, the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play," the NFL's statement read.
Abdullah speculated to the Kansas City Star that the referee may not have liked that he slid on both knees.
Here are some NFL players who weren't penalized for kneeling:http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/HT_husain_abdullah_kansas_city_praying_sk_140930_1 6x9_992.jpg
NFL Says Kansas City Chiefs Player Shouldn't Have Been Penalized for PrayerSep 30, 2014, 11:24 AM ET
By SUSANNA KIM (http://abcnews.go.com/author/susanna_kim) Susanna Kim More from Susanna » (http://abcnews.go.com/author/susanna_kim)
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Site/abc_susanna_kim_wy_111129_cutout.png
Business Digital Reporter
via Good Morning America (http://abcnews.go.com/gma)
Share on email (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/nfl-kansas-city-chiefs-player-husain-abdullah-penalized/story?id=25859886#)
515 Comments (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/nfl-kansas-city-chiefs-player-husain-abdullah-penalized/story?id=25859886#disqus_thread)
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/HT_husain_abdullah_kansas_city_praying_sk_140930_1 6x9_992.jpg
Husain Abdullah, of the Kansas City Chiefs, celebrates a touchdown in a game against the New England Patriots, Sept. 29, 2014.
ESPN
The Kansas City Chiefs (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/football/kansas-city-chiefs.htm) player who was penalized after kneeling to pray in the end zone Monday night should not have been flagged, an NFL (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/nfl.htm) spokesman said today.
Kansas City Chiefs' safety Husain Abdullah, a devout Muslim, was penalized 15 yards for "unsportsmanlike conduct" after he kneeled in prayer. He had run 39 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in the team’s 41-14 victory over the New England Patriots (http://abcnews.go.com/topics/sports/football/new-england-patriots.htm) at Arrowhead Stadium.
Slide, Prayer by Chiefs Player Brings Big Buzz (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/penalty-chiefs-player-ignites-social-media-25857756)
Kansas City Chiefs Fans Reclaim Guinness World Record for Crowd Noise (http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/kansas-city-chiefs-fans-reclaim-guinness-world-record/story?id=25853256)
"Husain Abdullah should not have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct following his fourth quarter touchdown," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ABC News in a statement.
He said he NFL's Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 (d) states "players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground."
"However, the officiating mechanic in this situation is not to flag a player who goes to the ground as part of religious expression, and as a result, there should have been no penalty on the play," the NFL's statement read.
Abdullah speculated to the Kansas City Star that the referee may not have liked that he slid on both knees.
Here are some NFL players who weren't penalized for kneeling:http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/HT_husain_abdullah_kansas_city_praying_sk_140930_1 6x9_992.jpg