Level the playing field: Why are there still so few Black referees?

As the Premier League kicks off this weekend you're unlikely to see a non-white official on the pitch. With so many initiatives to improve diversity in football – why is refereeing lagging behind?

Ashley Hickson-Lovence Pic: Ben Cunningham

When news broke in early June that former Premier League referee Uriah Rennie had died, the football world mourned a pioneer of the game. The first person from a Black, Asian, or mixed heritage background to referee a top-flight football match in England, Rennie was a trailblazer known for his charisma, commandi…