English referee Mark Clattenburg has earned respect and praises in the Islamic World after he stopped a Saudi Arabia cup match apparently out of respect for the Muslim call to prayer.
Clattenburg was officiating a match in Saudi Arabia between Al Feiha and Al-Fateh on Wednesday when the Adhan sounded around the King Salman Sports City Stadium from nearby mosques.
The game was into the fifth minute of extra time when he halted the action with the teams level at 1-1.
When the match resumed, Al Feiha scored their second goal in the 118th minute to reach the quarter-finals.
On a clip viewable on social media, there is a round of applause for the decision and people have posted their admiration for Clattenburg's actions.
Mark Clattenburg (born 13 March 1975) is an English professional football referee who is currently Head of Refereeing for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
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Clattenburg is a former member of the Premier League and the Durham County Football Association and also a former FIFA referee.
He has refereed a number of notable matches, including the 2016 UEFA Champions League Final and the UEFA Euro 2016 Final.
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