BBC World Service Online

The Thought Show

Factual

Brings together in a single hour The Why Factor; More or Less and Trending.

The Thought Show: Yellow cards for Christmas?

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Life Stories

Yellow cards for Christmas

22/12/2016 GMT

Yellow cards for Christmas?

BBC World Service - The Thought Show, Yellow cards for Christmas?

Are footballers deliberately getting suspended to get a break over the festive period?

A former referee says he was approached by English Premier League footballers who wanted to get suspended over the festive period - but what does the data show?

Former football referee Howard Webb told a story recently that he had been approached by players in the English Premier League asking to be booked so they could be suspended for Christmas so they can get some time off. They have to play extra games over the festive period so work more than usual. One way to get a break is to rack up five yellow cards and be suspended. But would players really try something like that? Tim Harford asks journalist Rob Minto to delve into the data.

When trolls started stealing a disabled American boy’s photos and turning them into cruel memes, his mother Jenny decided to start fighting back online. We put her in touch with another mother who fought a very similar battle against the trolls… and won.

Everyday millions of us across the world get into our cars and drive but even the calmest person can become a raging demon while driving; screaming and swearing at the other drivers. What is it about driving that makes some people so angry? What can we do to stop it? We speak with professional racing driver Nathalie McGloin about keeping control and Glenn Scherer gives us a lesson in ‘car yoga’ to try and keep the rage away.

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Thought Show

Yellow cards for Christmas?

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service