Sports officiating is a profession that involves overseeing the rules and regulations of sporting events. UMP (3 letters) and REF (3 letters) are two common abbreviations for sports officials. An umpire is responsible for making decisions on the field, such as calling balls and strikes in baseball or fouls in basketball. A referee is responsible for making sure the rules of the game are followed and for making calls on the court or field. Both umpires and referees are important to ensure fair play and the safety of the players.