Do referees suffer from Napoleon Syndrome?

Offside; Foul? Hand; Many phases of a soccer match can spark heated debates about the referees’ decisions. This is the reason why, in addition to the main referee, there are also two linesmen and the fourth referee, as well as the VAR (Video Assistant Referee), who, after reviewing a critical phase, can inform the referee that he may something has been missed. In total there are dozens of cameras on the field covering literally from every possible angle the entire match.

However, although a referee does not always decide on his own about the disputed phases, certain decisions sometimes seem arbitrary to him. And this is because the main referee of a football match has a comparatively large margin of discretion.

Does height matter?

Some German researchers did an analysis study regarding how the decisions of the referees are affected by the height of themselves and the football players. According to their first findings – which have yet to be confirmed by experts – shorter referees penalize taller footballers more severely, in order to unconsciously compensate for their limited body size.

Scientists Hendrik Zonabed and Giulio Callegaro from the Open University of Hagen in collaboration with Mario Lackner from the Johannes Kepler University of Leeds examined data from 2,340 Bundesliga matches between 2014 and 2021. And they found, as mentioned in the pre-publication, that a a comparatively smaller referee will whistle a foul more easily or show a yellow card more often to a bigger footballer.

“When the players are clearly taller than the referees, then the tendency for harsher whistles is 10% higher compared to cases where the referee and player are of similar height and body type”says Jonabed.

Power through the harshest punishments

According to the researchers, the Napoleonic syndrome of the referees is already evident from the first halves of the games. “It is quickly becoming apparent that penalties are being used by referees to show their authority. When the referee cannot impose himself with his physique, a penalty is given – a foul or a card – as if the referee is saying ‘you will dance to the beat of my whistle'”explains Jonabed.

In the second half the “harder” penalties, such as yellow cards, handed out by such referees are reduced. “This is probably because the players have found that the referee draws cards easily”Jonabed estimates.

The study also found that the players have a reversal of the Napoleonic syndrome: Shorter players are penalized 16% less compared to players of a similar height to the referee.

The short, tall emperor

The foundation of the research is the so-called “Napoleon complex”, which is however controversial in the field of psychology. His theory posits that smaller-bodied people, especially men, behave in a more aggressive manner to compensate for their limited size.

Already in 2023, a study on the Napoleonic syndrome showed that all these compensation efforts are actually related to people’s desire to be taller, resorting to narcissistic or manipulative behaviors.

This theory is named after Napoleon Bonaparte. Everything that is said about the height of the French emperor, however, is probably wrong: With a height of 169 cm, Napoleon must have been close to the average height of his time, maybe even a little taller.

From sports to everyday life

Hendrik Jonabed believes that the observations from the field of sports are also applicable to our everyday life or workplace. Thus, the prejudices stemming from the Napoleon complex can respectively affect one’s professional opportunities, advancement and career in general.

However, one can establish one’s authority not only through punishment, but primarily through appropriate body language and by articulating one’s thoughts clearly. And of course the assessment of a situation – whether in the workplace or in football – must always be fair and not be distorted by factors such as personal liking or someone’s physique.

Source: The daily