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LONDON (AP) \u2014 British police chiefs have recommended: Fans of Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv banned from entering<\/span> The player, who played in an English Premier League soccer match against Aston Villa in Birmingham last year, retired on Friday after criticism for his decision.<\/p>\nWest Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford will resign from his role as top police officer with immediate effect, following mounting pressure to resign over the controversy. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have come to the conclusion that the political and media frenzy surrounding me and my position is having a negative impact on all the great work of my officers and staff in serving communities across the West Midlands,\u201d Mr Guildford said.<\/p>\n
Guilford’s position has been precarious since Wednesday’s publication. Report on the decision to ban Maccabi fans<\/span> The report found that last year’s decision exaggerated the threat from Maccabi fans and underestimated the risk to them. Following the release of what she called a “damning” report, Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said she had lost confidence in the 52-year-old and urged him to resign.<\/p>\nAfter announcing her retirement, she said: “Craig Guildford did the right thing today by resigning,” adding that the report “revealed a list of failings that have undermined confidence in West Midlands Police.”<\/p>\n
Mr Mahmoud said that as a result of policy changes by the previous Conservative government in 2011, he did not have the power to sack Mr Guildford, but he wanted to restore that power to the home secretary. Currently, locally elected police and crime commissioners have that power.<\/p>\n
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said Mr Guildford had “acted with honour” in resigning.<\/p>\n
The anti-Semitic movement called for Foster’s resignation for failing to remove Guilford.<\/p>\n
The charity’s chief executive Gideon Falter said: “His resignation, following the disastrous failure of West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster to sack him, should result in Mr Foster also resigning.”<\/p>\n
The ban comes at a time of growing concern over anti-Semitism in the UK. Deadly attack on Manchester synagogue<\/span> He is calling on Palestinians and their supporters to boycott Israeli sports over the war with Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\nWest Midlands Police said at the time that the match was deemed to be a high risk “based on current information and past incidents”, including violence and hate crimes that occurred when Maccabi played Ajax. in Amsterdam last season<\/span>. This view greatly influenced the local safety advisory committee, which made the final decision.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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