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Rot‐Jaune‐Verde: On linguistic bias of referees in Swiss soccer

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  • Richard Faltings
  • Alex Krumer
  • Michael Lechner
Abstract
We utilize data from 5,010 soccer games in the top two Swiss divisions between the 2005/06 and 2018/19 seasons. In these games, a referee can share the same linguistic area with one of the teams. Using referee‐per‐season fixed effects, we find that referees issue significantly more penalties, in the form of yellow cards, to teams that are not from the referee's linguistic area. We also find some evidence, in the highest level league only, that referees issue more red cards to teams that are not from their linguistic area and that away teams achieve fewer points when home teams share the same linguistic area with the referee. Our analyses suggest that referees' bias is likely to be subconscious and reflexive rather than being a deliberate act of discrimination.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Faltings & Alex Krumer & Michael Lechner, 2023. "Rot‐Jaune‐Verde: On linguistic bias of referees in Swiss soccer," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(3), pages 380-406, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:kyklos:v:76:y:2023:i:3:p:380-406
    DOI: 10.1111/kykl.12332
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