Omission bias research and refs with grudges

984

The SFA Head of Refereeing, John Fleming, spoke about the semi-final incident on Sunday, largely to protect his fraternity.  Referee Steven McLean made a huge error but Fleming said “I don’t think there was anyone in the ground who would have thought it was 100% a penalty and sending off until they had seen the replay.”

This flies in the face of the Celtic players who claimed for a penalty on the spot, the raised voices from thousands of Celtic supporters, and the shout from the TV commentator.  Fleming’s assertion is demonstrably untrue.

He is a man in a position of authority at the SFA.  He is allowed to have opinions, or to disagree with any club, but making untrue statements to protect his referees is a wholly inappropriate.  If is the standard referees are held to, no wonder we have problems.  Having asked for clarification on the refereeing error yesterday, I expect Celtic will be even keener on an explanation for Fleming’s incredulous comment.

I’ve linked here to a Stanford University report on Omission Bias in Sports.  The report finds that people are biased to favour inaction (i.e. don’t make a decision) over action (make a decision which will have a profound impact).

It’s an interesting concept which good refereeing guidance will account for.  They found that “For all sports, effect [is]stronger if game is close and weak when score is lopsided”.

Omission bias is what we should be looking for in Scottish football.  Evidence this video of former referee Kenny Clark, who while still officiating SPL games told an audience that he held a grudge against Celtic’s John Hartson and failed to award him a foul which he saw clearly enough to describe in some detail.

Unfortunately, no journalist has ever been able to contact Mr Clark to ask him about his grudges or omission bias.  If this was England, the media would not allow Clark to flaunt omission bias while defending it in others, he would be called to account.

See above, Sunday’s officials greeting each other on the pitch before kick off.  Before the dust settles on this one, some of us better learn a new handshake.  Those wanting real change at the SFA will have to fight for it.

Want to do something good for the world, and for yourself?

Sign up for the Ben Nevis Huddle, which takes place on Saturday 13 June, raising money for your Foundation.  The Foundation will organise pretty much everything for you and keep you informed of what you need to know.  Time is running out to book, so get going now……….

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

984 Comments
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. ...
  12. 26

  1. The ICT player covered his face to hide his guilt and also his shame at costing his team a chance at a final.

     

    He probably couldn;t believe his luck at being let away with it.

     

    I have no desire to see him miss the final.

     

    I don;t care who wins it in all honesty.

     

     

     

    LB

  2. bournesouprecipe on

    DBBIA

     

     

    *. ┏┓ ┏┓ .*

     

    ┏┻┫┣┻┓

     

    ┃━┫┣━┃

     

    ┃━┫┣━┃

     

    ┗━┛┗━┛

  3. glendalystonsils on

    Personally I don’t care if Meekings misses the final or not. What he did was of little importance compared to what the match officials did.

  4. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    An in form Leigh Griffiths?- it’s like signing three players- Mark Hately

  5. !!Bada Bing!! on

    The world’s best scriptwriters ,couldnae make up this nonsense,which is on a weekly basis in this country.

  6. I’m pretty sure Lord Livingstone is ex of Parkheid ……………………think he did walking away when the politics beckoned.

  7. The Celtic kit man is asking for a pay rise after being instructed to let out John Hartson’s old shorts to accomodate Leigh Griffiths humongous erchie.

     

     

    FACT.

  8. Compliance Officer:

     

     

    13.4.1.3 Where a player is alleged to have caused the match official to make an incorrect decision and/or supported an error of judgement on the part of a match official by an act of simulation which results in that player’s team being awarded a penalty kick and/or an opponent being dismissed and/or any other substantial advantage being gained.

     

     

    Is this SERIOUSLY the route the SFA are going down? The ICT player didn’t; dive to get a pen, spit on an opponent or crock a player with a two-footed tackle. He did what most players do – spread himself as wide as possible/ threw up his hands instinctively to block a goal-bound threat!

     

     

    YES! He should have got a red card and a penalty should have been awarded.

     

     

    I really hope this goes International Mainstream Viral and gets to UEFA – this is akin to ‘bumping-off’ a prosecution witness.

     

     

    Truly – lunatics would make a better job of running an asylum!!

  9. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    Bada Bing. If you are correct and I have no reason to doubt you this should be taken up with the Celtic Board as in my opinion there should be no room at Celtic for secret handshakes and masonic dealings.There is plenty of room for that nonsense at Ibrokes.However,like other matters the support will be ignored over such a matter. H.H.

  10. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Today on CQN ,We have had a grassy knoll and now a Lee Harvey Oswald.Today’s letter is “C” and the number is “7”

     

    #sesamestreet

  11. Geordie Munro on

    Do you think it’d work if the ref was allowed to ask the player if he handled it?

     

     

    If he is found to lie he’s given a 5 or 10 game ban.

     

     

    Thoughts?

  12. stpatricksbhoy on

    !!Bada Bing!!

     

    17:04 on

     

    21 April, 2015

     

    JFH-No i can’t say 100%,but i know a masonic handshake when i see one.He was trying to hide it but he didn’t do a good job.I have no doubts.HH

     

     

    Bada your a 100% correct they forgot “to cover their work” as most masons do when us Bhoys are around.

     

    Hail Hail

  13. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    In a perfect universe Leigh Griffiths’ shirt would make a bijou gazebo.

     

     

    Excellent CQNers could meet and greet there, safe in its benign and cosy microclimate

  14. !!Bada Bing!! on

    JFH-The One Show (i know…) had a piece about 2 years ago with Willie Haughey and James Mortimer,subsidising apprenticeships.It finished with a handshake between the 2 of them…………again,i could be wrong……it might be on youtube.HH

  15. I have no wish to see the ICT lad miss the biggest game of his career.

     

     

    Of course he should have been sent off but it makes no difference now

     

     

    SFA just trying to ‘even things out’ and focus the attention away from the officials

     

     

    Shocking in my view

  16. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    In the new driving test, learners will be asked to reverse safely round Leigh Griffiths.

  17. LHC (Large Hadron Collider) Resource Portal | Science … http://www.lhc.ac.uk/ The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the most powerful particle accelerator ever built. Based at the European particle physics laboratory CERN, near Geneva in …

     

     

    “Shirks” ooooot 50/50 challenge with Big Leigh Griffiths

  18. 16 roads - Celtic über alles... on

    Got to love Neil Lennon in that STV interview – he begins by referring to Celtic as they/them – then he saying us/we.

     

     

    Once a Tim… Always a Tim.

     

     

    He really is a Celtic great.

     

     

    HH.

  19. 16 roads - Celtic über alles... on

    MCB – Sorry to read about the sad loss of your dear sister.

     

     

    God rest her soul.

     

     

    KTF.

  20. !!Bada Bing!! on

    JFH- 3 of PL’s trusty lieutenants are ex high ranking Police officers,i know for a fact 2 of them are not Celtic men,the other i have no info on.When these guys were in the cops,very,very few got to their rank without being in the craft.HH

  21. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    I believe that a big part of Neil Lennon leaving Celtic was that he had enough of being threatened and was worried also about his family also he did not feel there was parity with Celtic and other clubs.Now how long will it be before Ronny decides to walk away as he cannot accept the cheating he was on the verge of being a huge success in bringing the treble to Celtic in his first season with the club.However,all his hard work was wiped out by cheating officials. H.H.

  22. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    To charge Meekings is the biggest embarrassment ever to Scottish They never charged the bougie man after he kicked Robbie Keane all over the park.

  23. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Geordie Munro

     

    Interesting point. Most would lie. Unless it was at a point in the game where it would make no difference to the outcome.

  24. Bada Bing

     

    Seems like it, thought Compliance officer get involved in incidents MIB missed,

  25. johann murdoch on

    JFH…I agree but for me the story is that a member club is now seeking legal advice about its national association and its ludicrous decisions.As Bada says “you now couldnt make this up!” HH

     

     

    I am sure shortbread will wheel out Kenny”Afterdinner” Clark once again to explain it all.

  26. GlassTwoThirdsFull on

    Maybe Meekings could say the ball didn’t feel threatened by him making contact with it…….

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. ...
  4. 5
  5. 6
  6. 7
  7. 8
  8. 9
  9. 10
  10. 11
  11. ...
  12. 26