EFA looking into Clattenburg allegations

Referee Mark Clattenburg of England

Friday Jan 27, 2023. 17:00

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has launched an investigation into the alleged abuse Mark Clattenburg received during his tenure as head of the refereeing committee.

The EFA pulled off a coup when they appointed former FIFA referee Clattenburg in August 2022 with the hope of improving the performances of local match officials.

However, the 47-year-old resigned from his post on Tuesday and revealed in a statement that he’s been subjected to abusive messages during his stay in Egypt.

This, after outspoken Zamalek president Mortada Mansour had made defamatory remarks about Clattenburg’s personal life.

EFA executive director Walid Al Attar confirmed that the governing body is looking into the allegations and will reach out to the ex-Premier League referee to gather more information.

“We didn’t receive any complaints from Clattenburg until his resignation statement. We are currently investigating what allegations were made against him during his time in Egypt,” Al Attar told Egyptian TV Channel Sada El-Balad.

“Clattenburg mentioned in his statement that some numbers sent him abusive messages. The EFA’s legal commission will send him an e-mail to find out about these numbers.”

Clattenburg officiated in England’s top flight 13 years from 2004 to 2017 and is regarded as one of Europe’s most highly-rated referees of his generation.