Gender differences in fair play behaviours in elite handball

Abstract

This study aims to examine whether fair play behaviour is associated with competitive performance. An additional objective is to analyse gender differences in Fair Play in the Handball World Championships between 2007 and 2023. A total of 464 games were reviewed to analyse the team's fair play statistics. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine any differences between the men's and women's teams on the variables analysed in the study. Statistical power analysis, G*Power 3.1, was used to determine the power statistical analysis and the effect size of the model. According to the team rankings, significant differences were observed between men and women in all variables analysed, except for yellow cards. The findings indicate that teams achieving higher final rankings generally demonstrated more disciplined conduct. These results support the idea that fair play is positively associated with athletic performance, reinforcing the notion that ethical and disciplined behaviour is compatible with competitive success.