Former Sunderland striker, and Ghanaian international, Asamoah Gyan, is among more than 40 players to have been found guilty of having “unethical hair’’ under United Arab Emirates (UAE) Football Association guidelines.
The 31-year-old is on loan at Dubai-based Arabian Gulf League side Al Ahli from Chinese clubside Shanghai SIPG.
In 2012, Saudi Arabia goalkeeper, Waleed Abdullah, was told to cut his “un-Islamic’’ hair by the referee before playing for his club side Al Shabab.
The rule bans mohawk-style haircuts.
It is unclear what criteria the UAEFA are basing their guidelines on.
According to Middle Eastern football website Ahdaaf, the law’s application can be confusing, as Al Wahda’s Suhail Al-Mansoori was told to cut his hair.
In the same breath, UAE international and 2016 Asian footballer of the year Omar Abdulrahman, who sports a similar style, was let off. (NAN)