Assistant referee facts for kids

An assistant referee is a referee that helps the main referee with areas that they cannot see or control. The assistant referee has the power to do things that the main referee cannot do. For example, in Football (soccer), the assistant referee can call offside, determine if a goal was valid based on the ball position, and determine who is in possession if the ball went out of play. However, assistant referees cannot overrule a referee's decision, such as if an assistant believes there was an offside but the referee believes there was not.

Images for kids

A goal umpire officiating between the goal posts at one end of an Australian rules football field
Referee in bandy
A second base umpire at a baseball game
A college basketball official making a call
A boxing referee counting a boxer
A cricket umpire calling a batsman out
An American football referee (right, in white cap) announces a call. The other officials wear black caps
An association football referee making a call
Gaelic football referee (in blue shirt)
Hurling refereeing team. The referee, linesmen and sideline official wear blue shirts and black shorts, while the umpires wear white coats.
An ice hockey referee
A rugby league referee (left) sending a player to the sin bin for ten minutes
A rugby union referee calling a knock-on
A squad of shooters get their stage brief by an IROA Range Officer on Stage 11 of the 2017 IPSC Rifle World Shoot.
A gyōji, indicated by the solid purple tassels on his outfit.
A chair umpire prior to the start of a tennis match
A referee (right) issues a yellow card to a player during a game of association football.