CHICAGO (Friday, September 21, 2001) - As part of a program to remember and honor the victims of the tragic events of September 11, U.S. Soccer is asking all referees and assistant referees to wear the United States' flag on the left sleeve of the referee uniform. Both MLS and the WUSA have endorsed this practice and MLS referees wore the patches in their first-round playoff games last night. The flags may be worn on the uniforms until further notice.

Flag patches for the uniform shirt may be purchased from Official Sports. OSI will donate 20% of the selling price to the American Red Cross and the September 11th Fund, which will focus its support on the victim's families and on the survivors. To purchase a Flag Patch from OSI, please visit the OSI website.

Usage Note: The U.S. Flag patch should be worn centered on the left sleeve of the uniform shirt, three inches down from the shoulder seam and above all other markings or patches.