Josephson is aware that officials alone cannot change the ethical culture of sports.

“In fairness, we can’t start solving the problem at the referee level,” he says. “The referee doesn’t have enough leverage within the system to be the primary source of reform.”

He also knows that officials see themselves as undervalued by the sports they serve, sometimes caught between the tug of doing the right thing and doing the thing that may lead to recognition and advancement.

“I understand that you have no resources,” he says. “You’re in an NCAA final or whatever, we know how much money is at stake, and you’re getting paid pocket change. It shows that the sport doesn’t respect you enough. There’s no question about that. The sport does not respect the role of officiating. And that means you have to function in that context, knowing that you’re underpaid, under-appreciated, and if you do things right, they might dump you.

“But,” Josephson paused and scanned the audience before finishing, “why do you want to be in this if you’re not willing to do it right?”

(Van Oler Is a freelance writer and hockey official from Batavia, Ohio.)