 In later years, Wharton was chairman of the Scottish Football Association's Referee Supervisors Committee between 1976 and 1990 and served as part of FIFA's Referees Committee between 1981 and 2000.He was awarded the OBE in 1990 for his services to Scottish football and FIFA's Order of Merit in Gold in 1992.He was described by FIFA president Sepp Blatter as "one of the world's most distinguished refereeing officials".