“IT’S only a game,” some might say. But with 40,000 people screaming at your every decision, it takes a special sort of person to keep a cool head. Despite their reputation for stoic impartiality, however, it seems that even referees are swayed by the baying mob. A researcher in Britain has shown that a hostile crowd can make them think twice about penalising the home side.
Playing at home can give a team a huge advantage. For example, soccer teams in the English Premier League win almost twice as often at home as they do away.
But where does…
