Jose Mourinho, the coach of AS Roma, has announced his decision to step down from his role on the UEFA football board. This development comes after UEFA imposed penalties on Roma, including a four-match suspension for Mourinho due to his behavior towards referee Anthony Taylor following the Europa League final.
Mourinho had frequently directed criticism towards referee Anthony Taylor and even confronted him in the stadium car park after Roma's defeat to Sevilla. He was subsequently charged with using insulting or abusive language and was found guilty. As tensions between Mourinho and UEFA escalate, the coach has chosen to resign from his position on the football board of the organization.
In a letter addressed to UEFA's chief of football, Zvonimir Boban, Mourinho expressed his sense of obligation to step down. The letter stated: "In thanking you for the invitation you extended to me to be a member of the UEFA football board, I regret to inform you that, effective immediately, I will be renouncing my participation in this group. The conditions which I so strongly believed in when I joined are no longer standing, and I felt the obligation to take this decision. I kindly ask that you also communicate my decision to President Mr. Aleksander Ceferin."
The UEFA football board consists of current and former coaches and players, and its purpose is to address issues related to the laws of the game, refereeing, and the football calendar. Meetings are scheduled to take place once a year. The board was conceived by Zvonimir Boban and former referee Roberto Rosetti, with the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Paolo Maldini also serving as members. UEFA praised the establishment of the board back in April.
