sport news Former Premier League referee reveals he has Parkinson's disease as he opens up ... trends now
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Former Premier League referee Phil Dowd has opened up on his battle with Parkinson's disease.
Dowd, 61, enjoyed a distinguished officiating career from 1997 to 2016, which included 15 years in the top flight.
He took charge of several memorable games, including FA and League Cup finals, while also overseeing clashes that involved the likes of Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.
However, Dowd has revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease during Covid-19, which is a condition that affects around 153,000 people in the UK.
Despite the tragic news, the former official - who first became aware of various symptoms when his wife spotted him arm shaking - remains in the game, working as a refereeing coach.
Former Premier League referee Phil Dowd has opened up on his battle with Parkinson's disease
Dowd enjoyed a superb career from 1997 to 2016, including 15 years as a top flight official
Dowd admitted he didn't want to believe he had Parkinson's in the early years of his diagnosis
As part of this he oversees the progress of six officials, including Sunny Singh Gill, who became the first British South Asian referee in the Premier League when he took charge of Crystal Palace vs Luton earlier this month.
