Hair pulling “not tolerated” as United appeal fails

April 27, 2026 Oliver Obel

English football authorities have reinforced their stance on player conduct after rejecting an appeal from Manchester United over Lisandro Martinez’s recent dismissal.

According to a written decision published by the Football Association (FA), an independent disciplinary panel ruled that pulling an opponent’s hair should be treated as punishable behavior, even if it carries less risk of injury than other forms of violent conduct.

The case stems from United’s 2-1 defeat to Leeds, where Martinez, 28, was sent off for grabbing the hair of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin during an off-the-ball exchange. Referee Paul Tierney initially missed the incident but issued a red card after reviewing footage on the pitchside monitor, following guidance from the video assistant referee.

United challenged both the sending-off and the automatic three-match suspension. However, the panel concluded the decision did not meet the standard required to overturn it. As outlined in the FA report, commission members were unanimous in finding that the referee’s call could not be considered a clear mistake.

The panel also pointed to Calvert-Lewin’s reaction as supporting evidence, stating he appeared to have “felt a certain amount of force exerted upon his hair/scalp.”

While acknowledging that other types of violent conduct may pose greater physical danger, the panel emphasized that consistent enforcement is necessary. It added that allowing such actions to go unpunished could set an undesirable precedent within the game.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick had previously criticized the decision, describing it as “one of the worst” he had seen. He argued Martinez was “off balance and grappling,” insisting the contact was “not a pull, not a tug, not aggressive.” The panel ultimately disagreed, ruling that the dismissal was justified and not excessive under FA guidelines.

As a result, Martinez has already missed United’s recent win over Chelsea and will also be unavailable for upcoming matches against Brentford and Liverpool.

Although hair pulling is not explicitly listed in the Laws of the Game, it is generally classified as violent conduct because it falls outside legitimate attempts to play the ball. The FA noted that only “truly exceptional” circumstances justify overturning such decisions.

The ruling is consistent with previous cases. Earlier this year, Everton failed in an appeal to rescind a red card issued to Michael Keane for a similar incident involving Wolves forward Tolu Arokodare.

The decision is likely to serve as further guidance for how referees and panels handle comparable situations in the future.

Sources: BBC, FA report