“Referees would have issued a red card for sexually inclined words or phrases rather than for terms insulting one’s appearance.” That’s the conclusion of a study by researchers at the University of Vienna. The Austrian scientists also found that referees regularly ignore the use of swear words by players on the pitch. Their research shows that only 55.7 percent the participants will give a red card in response to a verbal offence. (Will add table with stats about ‘yellow’, ‘admonition’ or ‘no reaction’ next days. Tell me if you’re interested.) Referees from Vienna referee organisations were placed in front of the computer and got the question what they’d decided if…