Mark Clattenburg: Former Premier League referee criticised for 'outdated' views on female referees

Former Premier league referee Mark Clattenburg has been criticised for his "plain false" and "outdated" views on female referees.

Speaking to TalkSPORT radio on Thursday, Mr Clattenburg was asked about female referees by rugby player Joe Marler and responded by saying they have to decide between their career and having children.He said: "The problem with women is, and certainly in refereeing in football, they have a difficult pathway if they get pregnant during their refereeing career - it can stop them a long way.

"So they have to make this choice: do they want to be pregnant or do they want to be referees?"

He also explained that a lack of female officials in the men's game is because they may "struggle" to pass the fitness tests.

"They also have to pass the men's fitness tests and a lot of women struggle with the men's fitness tests because, if you want to be in the men's game, you have to meet that criteria," he said.

"If they pass all this and then choose the right path, I believe that women should be involved in the men's game as well as women being involved in the women's game."

The former referee's comments were condemned online, with Women In Football's CEO Jane Purdon releasing a statement on the matter.

She said: "Mark Clattenburg enjoyed a successful career as a match official but his judgement is way off when it comes to women referees and pregnancy."Women in all professions face challenges in balancing work and family. So do many men - but for men this is never seen as a problem, and men are never expected to choose between the two."

"In fact, many women in elite sport are in a position to resume their sporting careers quickly after giving birth. Others take more time out - by choice or by necessity. Neither of these scenarios is a "problem". The real problem is assumptions about female biology, and gender roles in childcare, which are lazy, outdated or plain false."

Joe Marler also disapporoved of Mr Clatternburg's comments, calling them "disrespectful" and "archaic".