Saudi sports authorities are cracking down on footballer hairstyles deemed to be anti-Islamic in the conservative kingdom, international media reports.
ADVERTISEMENT
Saudi bans 'anti-Islamic' footballer haircuts
Saudi sports authorities are cracking down on footballer hairstyles deemed to be anti-Islamic in the conservative kingdom.
___4903612___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___4903612___2016___4___10___22___Ballotelli
ADVERTISEMENT
A video posted online on Friday showed Al Shabab goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah being given a last-minute haircut before a fixture to comply with Saudi Football Federation guidelines, AFP reports.
The video shows a referee using scissors to remove a small mohawk at the front of his head before allowing him onto the pitch.
The head of the kingdom's youth organisation this week asked its sport federations and Olympic committee to "ban the qazaa phenomenon", meaning eccentric styles often sported by footballers, arriyadiyah.com reported.
ADVERTISEMENT
Commentators have said these haircuts are against Islam and Saudi traditions - one commentator wrote in the newspaper Al-Jazirah on Friday, urging the football federation to "impose sanctions" on offending players whose "bizarre haircuts are imitated by their fans in schools".
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh