Bhupinder Singh Gill Makes History, Becomes Premier League’s First Sikh Assistant Football Referee

Bhupinder Singh Gill is a name you might not have heard of till now, but that’s soon about to change. After all, this is the name of a man who has just made history. The 37-year-old is all set to become the Premier League’s first Sikh assistant football referee. Here is what we know about the historic development.

Bhupinder Singh Gill: The first Sikh assistant football referee in Premier Leauge matches

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Premier League (@premierleague)

Bhupinder will be among the officials for the Premier League match between Southampton and Nottingham Forest. With this announcement, Singh is on course to make history, shatter a glass ceiling and set a positive example of representation for future generations of South Asians. Given the incredible performance of Asian countries like Japan and South Korea at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and in light of Bhupinder Singh making history, it feels like we are ushering in a new era in football for Asians.

A family affair

Jarnail Singh On Bhupinder Singh:

“For the Sikh community and all South Asians who dream of a career in the game, seeing Bhupinder officiate in the Premier League is absolutely massive.

I am very proud to see Bhupinder in the Premier League” pic.twitter.com/qMXRFyeyA5

— BritAsia TV (@BritAsiaTV) January 5, 2023

Bhupinder is not the only member of his family to have achieved incredible things. His brother Sunny has already made their family proud by being the highest-ranked referee in England of South Asian heritage. It’s also clear that the apple, or in this case the apples, didn’t fall too far from the tree as Bhupinder and Sunny are the sons of the legendary referee Jarnail Singh. For those living under a rock, Jarnail Singh is one of the most iconic referees of the game, having taken charge of as many as 150 EFL games in the 2000s.

“The most important thing is that they are role models for future Black, Asian and minority groups in football – you know, saying, ‘we have got the ability, all we need is the opportunity”, said Mr. Singh in a statement to BBC Radio when asked about his son’s impressive achievement. He further added, “As parents, we all wish our children and grandchildren to exceed what we do in life whether that be in football, business or education. They’ve exceeded my expectations… in terms of family life and what they do, and now they’ve followed in my footsteps.”