The Football Association has upheld the three-match suspension handed to Lisandro Martínez, ruling that hair-pulling has no place in football.
An independent regulatory commission dismissed Manchester United’s appeal against both the red card and the punishment, following Martínez’s dismissal for pulling the hair of Dominic Calvert-Lewin during a Premier League match at Old Trafford.
The defender, 28, was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after referee Paul Tierney reviewed the incident on the pitchside monitor following advice from VAR during the 2-1 defeat to Leeds.
In its written decision, the panel acknowledged that different forms of violent conduct carry varying risks but insisted the act must be punished consistently.
“In the wider interests of football, ‘hair pulling’ ought not to be tolerated and should be discouraged through consistent punishment,” the report stated.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick had criticised the decision, calling it “one of the worst” he had seen and arguing Martínez was merely off balance while grappling.
“It was not a pull, not a tug, not aggressive,” Carrick said.
However, the panel disagreed, noting that Calvert-Lewin’s reaction indicated force had been applied, with the striker confirming he told the referee his hair was pulled.
“The commission members were unanimous that the referee could not be said to have made an ‘obvious error’ in dismissing LM,” the report added.
Martínez has already begun serving the ban, missing the win over Chelsea FC, and will also sit out upcoming matches against Brentford FC and Liverpool FC.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents panel also backed the decision by a 4-1 vote, reinforcing the stance that hair-pulling—though not explicitly listed in the Laws of the Game—is treated as violent conduct.
