Refs more likely to penalize taller players?

[grunewar]

09:01 AM ET 02.08 | Research on the apparent human tendency to associate size with power and aggression has shown that football referees are notably more likely to penalize taller footballers when they tangle with less lofty opponents, potentially bad news for the 6ft 7in Peter Crouch but a boon for fellow striker Jermain Defoe, who is a foot shorter. A study of more than 100,000 fouls in domestic, European and international football showed that the greater the height difference between the players involved then the more chance the referee will adjudicate in favour of the shorter one.

[DadofTwins]

This is fairly common in youth leagues, especially in girls' games.

[jenkin]

Yeah, I would have supposed that's a fact. Especially when two players go for a header, the taller/stronger one is more likely to "foul" the smaller player. I think it's fair that the refree rather decides for the smaller player, that's just a little compensation for the physical advantage.

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by jenkin

Yeah, I would have supposed that's a fact. Especially when two players go for a header, the taller/stronger one is more likely to "foul" the smaller player. I think it's fair that the refree rather decides for the smaller player, that's just a little compensation for the physical advantage.

Fair my a55. A referee is to insure that no player gains an advantage not intended by rule. Trying to "equalize" between players of different physical size is "political correctness" run a muck. Do not penalize big or small players for where or how they inadvertently contact each other solely due to size differentiations.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by ref2coach

Do not penalize big or small players for where or how they inadvertently contact each other solely due to size differentiations.

Concur.

I have to explain this a lot on the basketball court when A1 (the "little guy") runs into B1 ("the big guy") and there is no foul called. No advantage caused by A1.