Referee
A referee is a person who has authority to make decisions about play in many sports. Officials in other sports are known by a variety of titles, including umpire or judge.
Origin
The term referee originated in football. Originally the team captains would consult with each other in order to resolve any dispute on the pitch. Eventually this role was delegated to an umpire. Each team would bring their own partisan umpire allowing the team captains to concentrate on the game. Later, the referee, a third "neutral" official was added. The referee would be "referred to" if the umpires could not resolve a dispute. The referee did not take his place on the pitch until 1891, when the umpires became linesmen (now assistant referees). Today, in many amateur football matches, each side will still supply their own partisan assistant referees (still commonly called club linesmen) to assist the neutral referee appointed by the governing football association.
Examples
Association football
Main article: Referee (football).
An association football (soccer) match is presided over by a referee, whom the Laws of the Game give "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5). The referee is assisted by two assistant referees, and sometimes also by a fourth official.
Cricket
Main article: Match referee
In cricket, the match referee is an off-field official who makes judgements concerning the reputable conduct of the game and hands out penalties for breaches of the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct. On-field decisions relevant to the play and outcome of the game itself are handled solely by on-field umpires.
Ice hockey
See main article: Referee (ice hockey).
Basketball
In basketball, the referee is the highest official in a game. He is assisted by either one or two umpires, though umpires are generally accepted to have the same authority as the referee and therefore they are collectively known as the officials or sometimes, misleadingly, the referees. FIBA is the worldwide federation of Basketball referees.
Tennis
A tennis referee is an off-court official.
Attire
Referees wear clothing to distinguish themselves from the players. In some sports referees must change to a contrasting uniform if they discover that they resemble the field players. In others, the teams avoid wearing uniforms that resemble the clothing used by officials.
Other uses
- Refereeing can also refer to the process of peer review.