U.S. referee Esse Baharmast has been named the new director of officials for U.S. Soccer. Baharmast became the first American referee to work two games in a World Cup when he officiated the Spain-Nigeria and Brazil-Norway matches at France ’98. He received a great deal of notoriety for the penalty he called against Brazil’s Junior Baiano that resulted in a 2-1 win for Norway, for which he was unjustly criticized until an independent film crew’s footage was seen. As director of officials, he will coordinate the activities of all the USSF referee programs, and he will oversee the registration, training, assignment and assessment policies for all USSF referees. Baharmast, who grew up in the Iranian capital of Tehran, got his start as an official after an injury slowed his playing career. He began working in youth games and worked his way up to high school and college matches. In 1981, he earned his first pro assignments as a regular on-field official in the MISL. He received his first international appointment from FIFA ten years later, as a referee’s assistant for the USA-Uruguay friendly in Denver. He has worked two CONCACAF Gold Cups (1996 and 1998), U.S. Cup ’97, the 1997 Copa America, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (where he became the first American to referee an Olympic semifinal), the 1994 Pan American Games and the 1993 World University Games. He also called the inaugural MLS match in 1996, as well as the ’96 MLS, A-League and U.S. Open Cup championship matches.