Mark Clattenburg quits role as Egypt referees boss after five months

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Clattenburg took charge of the Euro 2016 final as Portugal overcame France 1-0 after extra time

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has resigned from his position as president of the Egyptian Referees Committee after only five months in charge.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) confirmed on Wednesday it had agreed that the 47-year-old could leave the role.

"The board of directors of the Egyptian Football Association decided, in its emergency meeting today, Wednesday, to accept the resignation of Mr Mark Clattenburg," the EFA tweeted.

It added that the EFA would be seeking to "preserve the rights of the federation and the consequences of his resignation in accordance with the terms of the concluded contract".

Clattenburg was this week the subject of criticism from the president of the Zamalek club, Mortada Mansour, on Zamalek's own TV channel.

Clattenburg was promoted to refereeing Premier League matches in 2004 after three seasons in the Football League.

His final game was in April 2017 as Leicester City won 1-0 at West Brom.

He also took charge of the Euro 2016 final as Portugal beat France 1-0 and the Champions League final, when Real Madrid beat local rivals Atletico, the same year.

Analysis by Riham Eldeeb, 大象传媒 Arabic Sport in Cairo

What we know for sure is that Mark Clattenburg has resigned.

After it emerged on Tuesday evening that Clattenburg was quitting, the Egypt FA had an emergency meeting to discuss whether to accept the resignation. This they have now done.

But he had only been in the role five months, so his reasons for going are obviously going to be a point of discussion.

It is certainly true to say Clattenburg has been the subject of criticism by Zamalek's president Mortada Mansour more or less since he arrived in Egypt as head of the country's referees' committee.

Zamalek are one of Egypt's two most famous and powerful clubs, alongside their bitter city rivals Al-Ahly. They have their own TV channel, and Mansour appears on it regularly.

Mansour's criticism of Clattenburg has increased in the last few weeks, and has included making allegations of a personal nature.

This intensity of Mansour's attacks has coincided with a drop-off in Zamalek's league form, culminating in a defeat by Al-Ahly on Saturday.