View source for Referee

{{Unreferenced|date=August 2012}}[[File:Referee hockey ahl 2004.jpg|thumb|right|An [[ice hockey]] referee]]

A '''referee''' is an official who watches a whole game of [[sports]] and makes all the decisions. The players of the sport being watched must always admit that the referee is always right, even if they aren't. Usually, if any player argues, they can get a yellow card or even sent off with a [[:en:Red_card|red card]]. Referees use a [[whistle]] so players and fans can hear when play needs to be stopped. Sometimes referees may have [[Assistant referee|Assistant referees]] to help them just in case they didn't see something or for [[Offside rule|offsides]] in [[Football (soccer)]].

Referees usually wear clothing to separate them from the players. Most referees wear white and black shirts or an all black uniform.
== Referee abuse ==
{{wiktionary}}Referee abuse is any abuse towards and referee (referee, assistant referee, fourth/fifth officials) verbally or physically. If a player physically abuses a referee, for example if they push, hit, or kick them, they can be shown a red card, suspended for multiple matches, or even be [[Criminal justice system|criminally charged]] and spend time in [[jail]] if the abuse was serious enough and be banned from the game for life. {{Association football positions}}

== Referee Media ==
<gallery widths='160px' heights='100%' mode='traditional' caption=''>
File:Ronaldo_yellow_card.jpg|[[Cristiano Ronaldo]] being booked by a referee for [[Fouls_and_misconduct_(association_football)|foul or misconduct]] during a game of [[association football|football]]

File:Matt Reis Carlos Ruiz yellow card.jpg|A referee (right) issues a [[Penalty card|yellow card]] to a player during a game of [[association football]].

File:Referee announces call at UCLA at Cal 10-25-08.JPG|An [[American football]] referee (right, in white cap) announces a call. The other officials wear black caps

File:Referee (GAA).jpg|Gaelic football ref in blue

File:Rugby league sin bin.jpg|A rugby league referee (left) sending a player to the [[Penalty box|sin bin]] for ten minutes

File:Basketball Referee durring WNBA game.jpg|A [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] official watches the gameplay for rules violations

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1982-1013-501, Boxkampf Hucks gegen Gahrmeister.jpg|A [[boxing]] referee counting a boxer

File:Croke Park referees.jpg|Hurling referee and linesmen in blue shirts, umpires wear white coats

File:Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Bryan Rust (33744033514).jpg|An ice hockey referee (top right) positions himself to have a clear view of the game action so he can make crucial judgment calls about plays as accurately as possible
</gallery>
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[[Category:Sports occupations]]
[[Category:Referees|*]]