I used to be a referee for many years before I quit due to abuse from very excitable parents. You can find the link to that story at the bottom.
I cannot remember a Black referee being allowed to referee a major championship in all my years.
It’s sad. African-origin men were seen as incapable, or on the pitch, as footballers, all we could do was run fast. I remember a teacher giving me the ball and saying, ‘Just run.’ I thought, ‘No way, you come on the pitch and run!’ What a cheek.