The chief of the British police force that recommended that fans from Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv be banned from attending a football match against English Premier League side Aston Villa in Birmingham last year retired Friday following criticism of that decision.
Craig Guildford, the chief constable of West Midlands Police, will step down with immediate effect as the head of the force following mounting pressure for him to quit over the controversy. The development was announced by the locally elected police and crime commissioner Simon Foster outside police headquarters in Birmingham.
