referee Page 1 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Denied U.S. entry, Somali ref to officiate UEFA Super Cup
Somali referee Omar Artan has been assigned to officiate the UEFA Super Cup match between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain, days after he was denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.,Artan was one of 52 FIFA head referees selected to officiate the 2026 FIFA World...
Trump administration: Somali ref suspected of terrorism link
The Somali referee headed to the World Cup then turned away was denied entry into the United States over a possible tie to terrorism, a Trump administration official claimed to Fox News.,Omar Abdulkadir Artan, 34, made it to Miami International Airport on a flight from Istanbul on Saturday but was r...
Somali referee 'positive' despite heartbreak over historic World Cup assignment
The Somali referee who has been denied entry into the United States ahead of the World Cup has spoken out about his ordeal.,Omar Abdulkadir Artan, the 34-year-old who was named 2025 Male Referee of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), landed in Miami on a flight from Istanbul on ...
World Cup referee from Somalia denied entry to U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped a Somali referee selected to work the World Cup from entering the United States.,Omar Artan, named Africa's best referee in 2025, was in line to become the first person from Somalia to officiate a World Cup match.,CBP confirmed Monday that will no longer th...
NBA Finals officials include first-timer Curtis Blair
The league announced the 12 officials assigned to the 2026 NBA finals on Tuesday, with Curtis Blair making his first appearance and Scott Foster his 19th.,Game 1 between the New York Knicks and host San Antonio Spurs is on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.,"Being selected to work the NBA Finals is th...
Report: NFL referees union schedules vote on new CBA
The NFL Referees Association has scheduled a vote for Thursday night on ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFL, ESPN reported on Tuesday.,Negotiations between the league and union have progressed, according to the report, with the current CBA slated to expire on May 31. Specifi...
Celtics' Jaylen Brown critical of refs for 'agenda,' calls out 76ers' Joel Embiid
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown on Sunday criticized officiating in the team's first-round loss to Philadelphia and also pointed at 76ers center Joel Embiid for flopping.,Brown spoke on the streaming platform Twitch on Sunday, a day after the second-seeded Celtics lost Game 7 at home to the seventh...
NFLPA voices safety concerns over replacement refs
The NFL Players Association and NFL Referees Association have responded to the potential use of replacement officials this season by voicing concerns about player safety.,ESPN reported earlier this week that the league has begun compiling a list of replacement referees -- mostly from the low-college...
NFL adopts replay rule for potential replacement referees
With the potential for a referee work stoppage next season, the NFL moved on Tuesday to alter its replay procedure for one year only "to correct clear and obvious" mistakes made during games by replacement referees.,The approved rule, made by the competitions committee at the annual league meeting a...
Report: NFL to begin hiring replacement referees
With talks stalled between the league and the referees' union, NFL owners reportedly have authorized the hiring of replacement officials.,League sources told ESPN on Sunday that owners are "alarmed" by the current state of the negotiations with the NFL Referees Association.,The NFL has compiled a li...
Lakers' Luka Doncic fined $50K for gesture toward refs
The NBA fined Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic $50,000 for "directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture" to a game official.,The fine, announced Tuesday, was for an incident that occurred Sunday night in the Lakers' 110-97 home victory over the New York Knicks. ,With 4:35 left in the th...
Mavs coach Jason Kidd fined $35K for ripping refs
The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd $35,000 on Monday for public criticism of the officials and using profane language during a media interview.,Kidd's remarks came after the Mavericks' 111-107 road loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.,Kidd was upset at the referees for not call...
NBA reinstates ref Eric Lewis, assigns him to G League
The NBA announced the reinstatement on Friday of referee Eric Lewis, who retired in August 2023 amid a league investigation into violations of its social media policy.,Lewis, 54, was investigated for allegedly using a burner account on the social media site Twitter, now X, in order to defend himself...
Rams WR Puka Nacua rips refs in since-deleted tweet
Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua is creating headlines both on and off the field this week.,On the field, Nacua had 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' 38-37 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.,That performance came one day after he performed a...
Refs to start using earpieces to 'enhance accuracy'
Starting with Saturday's games, NBA referees will be equipped with earpieces in order to "improve game flow and enhance officiating accuracy," the league announced Friday.,This is the first phase of a planned two-phase program to help officials communicate in real time with the NBA Replay Center and...
Report: Longtime ACC ref quits due to replay frustration
Upset over how a replay review was handled in last Saturday's UConn-Syracuse game, Atlantic Coast Conference referee Gary Patterson resigned, ESPN reported on Friday.,An ACC official since 2002, Patterson quit after he served as the head referee of the matchup, a 27-20 overtime win for host Syracuse...
FOX's Mike Pereira: Theory that refs favor Chiefs 'a myth'
NEW ORLEANS -- Mike Pereira feigned surprise when a flock of reporters huddled around him Thursday.,"What do you all want to talk to me about?" he quipped as Pereira slid into a chair at FOX Sports' Super Bowl media day.,Predictably, the first question was about his feelings on the conversation abou...
Refs union rejects idea they’re aiding Chiefs: ‘Insulting’
After Roger Goodell dismissed the idea that the league's officiating crews give deference to the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL Referees Association released a statement Tuesday calling such theories "insulting and preposterous.",The release from NFLRA executive director Scott Green began by thanking t...
Linesman returns from injury in Jets-Avalanche game
Linesman Jonny Murray was helped off the ice in the second period after taking a hit to the right leg from Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, but he returned to his duties at the start of the third period.,Toews was pursuing Winnipeg forward Kyle Connor in the Jets zone and clipped Murray ne...
Linesman exits Jets-Avalanche game due to injury
Linesman Jonny Murray was helped off the ice in the second period after taking a hit to the right leg from Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews.,Toews was pursuing Winnipeg forward Kyle Connor in the Jets zone and clipped Murray near his right knee at 7:26 of the period. Murray, down on his han...