Racist stereotypes in football: Who plays where and why?

Racist stereotypes in football: Who plays where and why?

A current study by scientists from the University of Osnabrück reveals how racist stereotypes influence the perception of the suitability of football players for certain positions. The Marjorie Berns, Dr. Luisa Liekefett and Prof. Dr. Julia Becker and Lara Kronenbitter and Tina Nobis show that white players are often anchored in central positions, such as goalkeeper, while black players are mostly assessed as more suitable for physically demanding positions, such as storm or outer lane. These results were in Journal Ethnic and Racial Studies Published.

In the context of experimental studies, participants rated the suitability of footballers exclusively based on their photos. The result was clear: black players were disproportionately classified as athletically suitable, while white players were attributed to greater suitability for more strategically demanding positions. Interestingly, these differences disappeared as soon as objective performance data is included in the evaluation. This suggests that racist stereotypes are particularly caught when clear information is missing.

racist stacking in football

The investigation is accompanied by the results of an empirical pilot study, which deals with the phenomenon of so -called racist stacking. According to this study, white athletes in the men's Bundesliga are overrepresented in positions that are associated with properties such as game intelligence and leadership quality. On the other hand, black players can often be found in positions associated with physical presence and aggressiveness. These patterns were documented both in the first and in the second Bundesliga for the 2020/21 season, as the Dimzim Institut

In the decision structures of German football, ethnic minorities are very underrepresented. 87 percent of management positions in European men's football clubs are occupied by white men, which leads to low diversity in management. This is particularly problematic, since racism and discrimination not only find their way into the square, but also on the management levels of the clubs.

The role of racism in European football

The topic of racism in football is by no means new, but gets new explosiveness through the upcoming European Football Championship 2024. The German Football Association (DFB) has already created an anti-racism campaign with the motto "Football time is the best time against racism" with the aim of taking local amateur teams into account more. These clubs are often the first point of contact for young migrants and refugees, such as the Federal Center for Political Education

Nevertheless, part of the problem remains unsolved. Reports of racist incidents are increasing, while a decline in the reports does not consistently match the actual experiences of players and fans. Prominent players like Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior have made their frustration public on the inadequate commitment of associations against racism. It is particularly alarming that in the 2020/21 Bundesliga season, despite a 20.6 % black player, no black goalkeeper was represented in the league.

Reporting in the media also contributes to the reinforcement of racist stereotypes. Black players are often emphasized, especially with regard to their physical skills, while intellectual characteristics are mostly agreed. This raises questions about the need to question and reform both the coaching methods and media reporting.