Italy’s referees punish more dark-skinned footballers than light

Researchers have found a racial bias by match officials in the country’s top league, but say it could be linked to crowd pressure

Referees in Italy’s top football league give more yellow and red cards to Black and darker-skinned players than to their light-skinned teammates, research shows.

Officials in Serie A awarded an average of 20% more fouls per season against darker-skinned players from 2009 to 2019, with 11% more yellow cards and 16% more red cards.

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Serie A anti-racism artwork featuring monkeys condemned as a ‘sick joke’

• Three paintings of monkeys put on display at league’s HQ
• Anti-discrimination group Fare labels campaign ‘a sick joke’

Serie A has received widespread condemnation after artwork for an anti-racism campaign comprised three paintings of monkeys.

The three works were created by Simone Fugazzotto and will be on permanent display at the league’s headquarters in Milan. The league said the images are intended to “spread the values of integration, multiculturalism and brotherhood”.

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