Referee

sports · rules · fair play · officials

Rule enforcer. A referee's main job is to make sure all the players follow the rules of their sport and play fairly, no matter what.

Watches everything. Referees pay close attention to the entire game, watching for rule breaks, unfair play, and sportsmanship problems that need fixing.

Many job titles. Depending on the sport, referees might be called umpires, judges, arbiters, or commissaires, but they all do the same job of keeping the game honest.

Power to eject. When players or coaches break the rules too badly or act unsportingly, referees can kick them out of the game to keep things under control.

Gets help too. Referees aren't always alone, they work with linesmen, timekeepers, video assistants, and other officials to catch every rule break and make fair calls.