IN DEFENSE OF SOCCER REFEREES.

IN DEFENSE OF SOCCER REFEREES. FIFA has sent home from the World Cup what this article calls “blundering referees.” W. Edwards Deming, the quality guru, used to say that errors were caused by the system, and not by people. Although FIFA and journalists are blaming people (the referees), the problem is the system. Compare baseball. Most of the calls in baseball are on plays at one of four locations, and there is an umpire at each location. For playoff games two more umpires are added. A soccer referee has an enormous field to cover, the ball moves great distances very quickly, and the best angle to see a play is always changing. Soccer referees need more help.