Football: AFL player sent off for 'dangerous' haircut

May 10, 2011 |

Sydney

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An Australian Rules player was sent off because his gelled mohawk haircut was deemed dangerous, a report said on Tuesday.

Nathan Van Someren, who plays for Victorian country side Simpson Tigers, was told to leave the field in the third quarter of their match against Otway Districts at the weekend.

Tigers co-coach Leigh Walsh told Fairfax Radio the reason given was ‘because his hair was too dangerous’ and might have poked another player in the eye.

Van Someren said he had played with the hairdo for three years without a problem.

"I was just standing there and (the umpire) came across to me and goes, 'I thought I told you you couldn't come on the ground'," Van Someren told Fairfax.

"I sort of just looked at him like 'what?' and he's like, 'no, I told you you couldn't come on the ground with that hairstyle, you have to go off'."

The Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) said the umpire was wrong, with the rule used to have Van Someren sent off referring to items such as jewellery and protective equipment that could injure another player.

"In this case it's probably been interpreted a little bit too broadly," VCFL umpiring general manager Gerard Ryan told reporters, adding that all parties were working to resolve the issue.

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