Meet Bhupinder Gill- The first assistant referee of Sikh-Punjabi origin in English Premier League

Bhupinder Singh Gill made history by being the first Sikh-Punjabi assistant referee to officiate in the English Premier League. Gill was assigned to the Southampton versus Nottingham Forest match at St. Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday, January 4.

The 37-year-old comes from a line of excellent referees. Between 2004 and 2010, Bhupinder’s father, Jarnail Singh, officiated in more than 150 English Football League games, becoming the first official in England to wear a turban.

Sunny Singh Gill, Bhupinder’s elder brother, is one of England’s most prominent South Asian referees, like his father. Sunny became the first British South Asian officiate in a League Two match since his father earlier this season when he took charge of Northampton against Hartlepool.

First Sikh-Punjabi to serve as an assistant referee at a Premier League match 

Congratulations, @BhupsGill_ARef  pic.twitter.com/bxD13QaRFU
— Premier League India (@PLforIndia) January 5, 2023

Outside of sport, Bhupinder is a Physical Education teacher and father of two children. Gill is a member of the Premier League’s Elite Referee Development Plan (ERDP), which was established last year to improve officiating standards. The initiative also assists officials from under-represented backgrounds in advancing to the top levels of the game.

Bhupinder was overjoyed with the opportunity, calling it the “proudest and most thrilling moment” of his career. “This has to be the proudest and most exciting moment in my refereeing journey,” he added, “but I’m not getting carried away since it’s just another step in the right direction.”

“Hopefully, this is another opportunity to encourage the next generation to enroll in a refereeing school and begin officiating. My ambition has always been to reach the pinnacle of the game, to be a role model for future officials, and to encourage more people from various backgrounds, particularly those from South Asian origins like mine, to become officials “He went on to say more.

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