referee signals

Umpire's silent commands

Referee signals are the standardized hand gestures and body movements officials use to communicate calls during sporting events.

In football, arms raised overhead signals a touchdown; in basketball, a chopping motion indicates a foul.

These visual signals allow players, coaches, and spectators to understand rulings despite crowd noise: The referee signaled offsides by raising his flag.

Related

flag · penalty flag · false start · pass interference · touchdown · first down · fair catch · throw · penalty kick · gesture · VAR · instant replay · clinch · bout · official · weight classes · freestyle wrestling · combat sport

Categories
Opposites
communication method

referee signalsvoice commands

Spoken orders to technology

radio communications

formality and authority

referee signalsfan reactions

Audience emotional responses

source of communication

referee signalscrowd chants

Synchronized mass vocalizations

Family

sign, signal, refer, referee, signals

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G