A Football Association (FA) panel has said hair pulling “ought not to be tolerated” after rejecting an appeal from Manchester United and upholding a three-game ban for Lisandro Martinez.
The defender was shown a straight red card for violent conduct during United’s 2-1 loss to Leeds United, after pulling the hair of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Referee Paul Tierney made the decision following a VAR review of the incident.
In its report, the panel acknowledged that some forms of violent conduct may pose a greater physical danger, but stressed that hair pulling has no place in the game and must be punished consistently to discourage it.
United argued the incident was not serious enough for a red card, but the panel disagreed, noting Calvert-Lewin’s reaction showed he felt clear force. As a result, Martinez will miss upcoming matches against Brentford and Liverpool, having already served part of the suspension.
