Three red cards for hair pulling in 2026 - is it time to change law?
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard became the third player this season to be sent off for pulling an opponent's hair in Saturday's 1-1 draw at relegated Wolves . It happened in the 24th minute when he challenged home forward Tolu Arokodare for the ball. Referee Paul Tierney initially took no action, but showed the red card to the centre-back after the VAR advised him to check the incident on the pitchside monitor.
As Sunderland fans chanted 'this isn't football', Ballard joined Everton 's Michael Keane and Manchester United 's Lisandro Martinez in being sent off for a hair pull this season. Nigeria striker Arokodare has been on the end of two of the three hair pulls this term - the first involving Keane on 7 January. Everton and Manchester United both failed in their appeals to get the red cards, and resulting three-game bans, overturned, so it is unlikely Ballard and Sunderland will be successful should they make a challenge.
"I think, when it's not intentional, it was an accident. It's hard to execute the rule like it was intentional," said Sunderland manager Regis le Bris. "So sometimes handball is the same, there is always a grey area and, probably, with this rule we are in that stage.
" Ballard sent off for hair pull as Sunderland held by Wolves When it comes to hair pulling, there isn't a specific law. It currently falls under the remit of violent conduct, in the same way that pushing someone in the face or elbowing an opponent in the head does. As hair pulling is treated as an act of violent conduct, referees' body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) made it clear to clubs at the start of the season that it will always be considered a red-card offence.
"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," added Le Bris. "So in the air 20 times in the game many things can happen but it wasn't intentional.