Uriah Rennie, the former FIFA and Premier League referee, has passed away at the age of 65. His death was confirmed on Sunday in a statement released by the Football Association (FA).
“The FA Refereeing Department is saddened to hear of the passing of former FIFA and Premier League referee, Uriah Rennie,” the statement read. “Uriah will forever be remembered as a true trailblazer of the game. Our thoughts are with Uriah’s family and friends at this time.”
Rennie made history as the Premier League’s first Black referee. Over the course of his career, he officiated more than 300 top-flight matches between 1997 and 2008, beginning with a fixture between Derby County and Wimbledon.
His passing comes just weeks after he was appointed Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University. Rennie had recently opened up about living with a rare condition that left him temporarily paralysed from the waist down.
