Two British Sikh brothers Bhupinder and Sunny Gill made history at the English Football League last weekend when they became the first pair of British South Asians to officiate in the same match.
Bhupinder and Sunny were born to Jarnail Singh in the UK. He was the first turban-wearing Sikh English Football League referee, who moved to Britain from Mehna village in Moga in Punjab. Their mother, Baljit, is from Khanna in Ludhiana.
“Britain’s highest-ranked, South Asian-origin assistant referee Bhupinder, 36, a PE teacher from Iver, will be assistant referee and his brother, Sunny, 37, the most senior British South Asian referee, who referees in the Vanarama National League, will be the fourth official, at the Bristol City vs Nottingham Forest Championship match at Aston Gate on Saturday. There will not be any spectators owing to Covid-19.
Sunny is an HMP Feltham prison officer from Winkfield,” The Times of India had reported.
“I do not think there are any other Sikh referees in English football right now,” Bhupinder had said. He also said that he wants to encourage young people from Sikh and other backgrounds to take up refereeing. Jarnail has retired as a referee and works as a community support officer at Heathrow and is a match observer.
Shadow secretary of state for international development Preet Kaur Gill, Britain’s first Sikh female MP, said: “I think ahead of Baisakhi to see this game and to see two Sikhs refereeing will be absolutely something the Sikh community here in Britain can be really, really proud of and will really inspire others.”
