New study says tall footballers 'more likely to be penalised'

London, Feb.8 (ANI): Researchers from the Rotterdam School of Management in The Netherlands have analysed 100,000 fouls from a selection of domestic, European and international games, and come to the conclusion that taller players are more likely to be penalised than their shorter opponents.

According to The Mirror, the research confirms the popular suspicion that small, feisty players such as former Chelsea captain Dennis Wise could get away with rougher tackles than their taller opponents.

Referees tend to give a foul against the larger man when two footballers of different heights clash - probably because tall people are assumed to be more aggressive.

The study found a clear bias against taller players in referees' decisions. The larger the height difference between the two players involved, the more likely it was that the taller footballer would be penalised.

Where the difference was between 2.3in and 4in, 60 per cent of decisions went against the bigger player.

It was backed up by further data obtained from panels of football fans who were presented with still images of two players going in for a challenge and asked to predict the outcome.

The majority picked out the taller player as the aggressor. (ANI)