Bill Harvey: Is the referee really blind?

So it seems the better the referee is at performing predictive vision scanning movements, the better the performance and the fairer the football match. A study in this month’s Cognitive Research journal has used vision tracking technology to monitor the performance of referees and found those with more experience and acting at the higher echelons of the game easily outperform those of lesser experience working at lower league levels. More accurate decisions, both in open play conflict and also from set pieces, seems to be related to improved ability to fixate upon predicted lower limb movement of the players rather than direct fixation. This then means they have a better view of any actual contact so making a decision about the fairness of play more reliable.