Question Number: 26093

Law 5 - The Referee 3/23/2012

RE: Adult

Carl Neighbors of APO, AP Japan asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26075

Joe and Keith, thanks for your responses. Do you know if there are any written, USSF policy/instructions regarding not wearing the USSF referee badge at non-USSF sanctioned games? We are having a high school tournament here, and last night at the first series of matches all of the referees were wearing their USSF badges except me. I don't like to see this happening but don't have any USSF instructions/policies to show the the other referees. Thanks again for your help with this.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Carl
Referee badges are required to be worn in affiliated games.
Wearing them for other games can be inappropriate and may mislead players, coaches and spectators into believing that a game is in some way is affiliated with the issuing association.
For instance while national high school and college associations are affiliated with USSF, high school and college games themselves are not affiliated. That means that referees never wear a USSF badge at a high school or college game.
Does it happen? Well you be the judge of that. If a referee was to ask formal permission would be it be given? No it would not.
Is the wearing of a badge going to make a difference in Japan? What it does say is that the referee' s membership is current. Does it give him any standing overseas? No it doesn't.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hey Carl. Well, I asked Jim Allen if we could wear our USSF badges at non-USSF games we worked. I specifically asked in Japan. Surprisingly, he said we could. Ref McHugh gives some good reasons why we shouldn't and it's certainly possible that whomever is putting on the matches may not want us to.

So, USSF says it's ok to wear the badge anywhere you work but it probably is best to check with the authority putting on the games to see if it's all right with them