Official (Canadian football)

In Canadian football, an official is a game official responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining fair play during a game. These individuals work as a team to observe the game from different angles and perspectives, ensuring that infractions are properly called and penalties are assessed accurately.

The officiating crew typically consists of seven members, each with specific roles and responsibilities:

• Referee: The referee is the leader of the officiating crew and has overall responsibility for the game's conduct. They make the final decisions on rule interpretations and penalty assessments. The referee's decisions are generally considered final.

• Umpire: The umpire is primarily responsible for observing the line of scrimmage, focusing on illegal procedure penalties and ensuring player safety, particularly of interior linemen.

• Down Judge (Head Linesman): The down judge (or head linesman) is positioned on the sideline and is responsible for marking the forward progress of the ball, supervising the chain crew, and ruling on sideline plays. They also assist with offsides and encroachment calls.

• Line Judge: The line judge is positioned on the opposite sideline from the down judge and assists with calling offsides, encroachment, and other penalties along the line of scrimmage.

• Side Judge: The side judge is positioned downfield near the sideline and is responsible for observing plays in the secondary, including pass interference, illegal contact, and holding.

• Back Judge: The back judge is positioned deep in the secondary, typically near the goal line. They are responsible for ruling on plays near the goal line, including touchdowns and pass interference. They also assist with field goal attempts.

• Field Judge: The field judge is positioned downfield between the side judge and back judge and assists with observing plays in the secondary, including pass interference and illegal contact.

Officials are required to undergo rigorous training and certification to ensure they have a thorough understanding of the Canadian Football League (CFL) rulebook and are proficient in applying the rules during live game situations. Their performance is regularly evaluated, and they are subject to discipline for errors or misconduct. The integrity of the game is heavily reliant on the competence and impartiality of the officiating crew.