Regis Le Bris highlights long hair problem after Dan Ballard red in Wolves draw | OneFootball

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard was sent off for pulling Tolu Arokodare's hair during Wolves' draw, prompting fresh debate over the offence.

According to ExpressAndStar.com, VAR advised referee Paul Tierney to check the pitchside monitor before he made his decision, leaving many supporters perplexed and some home fans criticising VAR. The flashpoint followed hair pulling red cards earlier this season for Lisandro Martinez and Michael Keane, the latter punished against Wolves in an incident involving Arokodare.

Arokodare was again central at Molineux on Saturday as tempers frayed around what constituted violent conduct.

After the match, Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris said he understood the law and praised Tierney, but felt its application was hard to accept because he did not view the act as intentional or violent.

He added that the team want to keep behaviours clean, yet football brings aerial duels, a tall striker around 100kg and a sizeable defender, with many balls contested where things can happen.

Le Bris argued that if the law stands as written, long haired forwards could create problems for defenders who feel unable to challenge, and while the officials applied it, the outcome was difficult to digest.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com