BBC Sport said Sunderland defender Dan Ballard was sent off in the 24th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw at relegated Wolves after referee Paul Tierney reviewed a hair-pulling incident on the pitchside monitor following a VAR recommendation. [1]
The report said Ballard became the third player this season to be dismissed for pulling an opponent's hair. Everton's Michael Keane and Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez were the others, and both clubs failed in appeals against the red cards and the resulting three-game bans. [1]
BBC Sport said there is no specific law for hair pulling and that the offence is currently treated as violent conduct. It also said PGMOL told clubs at the start of the season that hair pulling would always be considered a red-card offence. [1]
Sunderland manager Regis le Bris said the incident was not intentional and called the rule a grey area. “I think, when it's not intentional, it was an accident. It's hard to execute the rule like it was intentional,” he said. [1]
He added: “So sometimes handball is the same, there is always a grey area and, probably, with this rule we are in that stage.” Le Bris also said, “It's really hard to digest because I don't think it was an intentional and violent conduct. It was a duel in the air and with a tall striker.” [1]
BBC Sport said Michael Keane was sent off on 7 January for pulling Tolu Arokodare's hair, while Fulham defender Kenny Tete escaped a red card for an apparent hair pull on Antoine Semenyo on 11 February. It also said hair pulling was an issue in the women's game on 1 April, though that example was not fully detailed in the excerpt. [1]
The next test for the law and its interpretation will come as clubs and officials continue into the closing weeks of the season, with the three-game bans from the earlier appeals still on the record. [1]
