Mark Clattenburg is to quit his job as a Premier League referee to take up a position in Saudi Arabia.
The 41-year-old is widely considered to be one of the best referees in football, and he took charge of the Euro 2016 final, the Champions League final and the FA Cup final last season.
In December, Clattenburg said he would consider officiating in China.
He is expected to leave his role before the next round of Premier League fixtures which starts on 25 February.
Clattenburg took charge of his first Football League game as a 25-year-old in 2000. Four years later, he was promoted to the Premier League's Select Group.
As is the case with many referees, he has been no stranger to controversy. But perhaps more unusually for a match official, public attention has often been drawn to his life off the pitch.
In 2008, Clattenburg was suspended following an investigation into allegations he owed £60,000 as a result of a failed business venture, and he later had his elite referee status revoked.
But at an appeal in February 2009, his punishment was reduced to an eight-month suspension, backdated to August 2008.
In October 2014, he was dropped from officiating for two breaches of protocol - speaking on the phone with then-Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock, before leaving a ground alone to drive to an Ed Sheeran concert.
The referee body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, says officials must travel to and from the ground together for integrity and security.
And last summer he got two tattoos to commemorate refereeing the Euro 2016 and Champions League finals, and the Guardian reported he had a car with the license plate: 'C19TTS'.
In an interview with Associated Press in December, he said he did not understand why "people see [the tattoos] as a negative thing", adding: "I'm proud of what I've done."
Clattenburg: take up job in Saudi Arabia
posted on 17/2/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/2/17
Stoning women for daring to have a voice and murdering gay men is acceptable due to the international arms trade?
posted on 17/2/17
comment by Robben (U1145)
posted 1 minute ago
Stoning women for daring to have a voice and murdering gay men is acceptable due to the international arms trade?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
People like UWW cannot separate civilisation from politics.
posted on 17/2/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/2/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/2/17
"Sorry they come hand in hand. If it is in the political interest to kill millions to steal oil and resources, does it make that society civilised still?"
There is a huge difference. The citizens of the UK are not responsible for the foreign policy, and they live by the rules in the UK.
The citizens of Saudi are not responsible for Saudis foreign policy, but they have to deal with the lack of freedom in Saudi.
posted on 17/2/17
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 3 minutes ago
If people believe that they can go about living peacfully whilst their governments wage war on other nations, often simply for power and control reasons.. then they are in for a rude awakening, as we see today. It is until the population wakes up and sees these issues in a more holistic light that things can be truly tackled. Until then, well, things only can get worse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Difference is, if the British public want to demonstrate against the government policies, they can do so in the knowledge they will not receive torture, public floggings, jail sentences or even a beheading.
posted on 17/2/17
comment by United we win (U19958)
posted 50 seconds ago
If people believe that they can go about living peacfully whilst their governments wage war on other nations, often simply for power and control reasons.. then they are in for a rude awakening, as we see today. It is until the population wakes up and sees these issues in a more holistic light that things can be truly tackled. Until then, well, things only can get worse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right, let's just forget it all then
posted on 17/2/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 17/2/17
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator