.jpg) Fletcher in 2018 | |||
| Full name | Joseph Wiltshire Fletcher | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1976-09-10)September 10, 1976 (age 49) Niagara Falls,Ontario | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Other occupation | Chartered accountant | ||
| Domestic | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 1999–2007 | CPSL/CSL | Referee | |
| 2014–2019 | MLS | Referee | |
| 2015 | NASL | Assistant referee | |
| 2017 | USLC | Assistant referee | |
| International | |||
| Years | League | Role | |
| 2007–2019 | FIFA listed | Referee | |
Joe Fletcher (born September 10, 1976) is a Canadian formersoccerreferee fromNiagara Falls, Ontario.[1] He is currently the manager of senior assistant referees for theProfessional Referee Organization.[1]
Fletcher is also known in accounting circles as aChartered Professional Accountant who had his designation revoked byCPA Canada in 2020. Fletcher was disciplined for improperly taking $14.2 million in loans from his clients and falsifying documents to cover up his misconduct.[2]
Fletcher initially began officiating in 1999 in theCanadian Professional Soccer League, after receiving the opportunity fromTony Camacho then the CPSL Director of Officials.[3][4]
When the2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was held that summer in Canada, he was selected to be one of the tournament's assistant referees.[5] In 2007, he officiated the2007 Open Canada Cup finals match.[6] He was also voted the CSL Referee of the Year in 2007.[7] In 2012, theCanadian Soccer Association (CSA) selected Fletcher as the recipient for the Ray Morgan Memorial Award, and the Canada Soccer International Achievement Award in 2015.[8][9]
In 2018, he was votedMLS assistant referee of the year.[10] On January 18, 2019, he retired from officiating and served as a referee instructor for the CSA.[11] In January 2020, he was named the manager of senior assistant referees for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO).[12]
Outside of soccer, Fletcher was a CPA. In 2020, Fletcher was suspended by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario for misconduct, after having been found to have improperly borrowed money from clients and falsified audits to hide the trail.[13]
He was selected as an assistant referee for the2014 FIFA World Cup.[14][15]
In 2018, Fletcher was selected to be an assistant referee at the2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, his second World Cup appointment.[16][17] He was an assistant video assistant referee for theArgentina vs Iceland andUruguay vs Portugal games. He was also an assistant referee for thePortugal vs Morocco,South Korea vs Germany and the knockout stage matchColombia vs England.[18]
