referee

sports

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

In sports, a referee is an official who impartially presides over a game, enforcing its rules and making decisions on plays. Referees are crucial for maintaining fair play and ensuring that contests are conducted according to established regulations.12

In baseball, these officials are called umpires. They are responsible for calling balls and strikes, determining whether a batter is safe or out, and ruling on fair or foul balls. Umpires work together, with a home-plate umpire and base umpires stationed around the field, to officiate the game.3

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boxing
Ring, rules, and equipment
A referee is stationed inside the ring with the boxers and regulates the bout. In some jurisdictions the referee scores the contest along with two judges outside the ring. In most jurisdictions, however, the referee does not participate in the judging, and three ringside officials score…
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A referee is stationed inside the ring with the boxers and regulates the bout. In some jurisdictions the referee scores the contest along with two judges outside the ring. In most jurisdictions, however, the referee does not participate in the judging, and three ringside officials score…
Read More

freestyle wrestling
…bout is supervised by a referee on the mat, a mat chairman, a judge, and a timekeeper. A fall is awarded when one contestant holds both of his opponent’s shoulders to the mat for one second. The referee signals a fall by striking the mat with his hand. If no…
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…bout is supervised by a referee on the mat, a mat chairman, a judge, and a timekeeper. A fall is awarded when one contestant holds both of his opponent’s shoulders to the mat for one second. The referee signals a fall by striking the mat with his hand. If no…
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American football
The play of the game
All officiating crews have a referee with general oversight and control of the game, who is assisted by umpires, linesmen, field judges, back judges, line judges, and side judges. Referees are the sole authority for the score, and their decisions on rules and other matters pertaining to the game are…
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All officiating crews have a referee with general oversight and control of the game, who is assisted by umpires, linesmen, field judges, back judges, line judges, and side judges. Referees are the sole authority for the score, and their decisions on rules and other matters pertaining to the game are…
Read More