The referee whistle is a staple of live sport, used by officials to start and stop play, signal fouls and bring order to a match. Because that sound is instantly understood around the world, short recordings of it have become a popular sound effect for creators, editors and meme makers. It is commonly added to sports compilations, reaction videos and comedy sketches to mark a bad decision or a rule break, and its sharp, unmistakable tone means it still works even in a clip lasting only a couple of seconds.