FA panel upholds ban for Martínez after hair-pulling incident
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has had his three-match suspension upheld after being sent off for pulling the hair of Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Football Association’s disciplinary panel stated that hair pulling should not be tolerated in football. Michael Carrick, Manchester United’s manager, criticised the decision, but the panel maintained that the referee’s call was justified. The incident has sparked debate about how such actions are treated under the Laws of the Game.
Match highlights
- The FA disciplinary panel ruled that hair pulling “ought not to be tolerated” in football.
- Lisandro Martínez received a straight red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair during a match at Old Trafford.
- Manchester United’s appeal against the red card and suspension was rejected by the independent regulatory commission.
- The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel voted 4-1 in support of the referee’s decision.
- A similar appeal by Everton over Michael Keane’s dismissal for hair pulling was also unsuccessful earlier in the season.
