A controversial scene in which a European Football League player used an opponent’s long hair to tackle him has sparked debate among fans over whether the play was legal, with some labeling it “downright dirty”. Some people put them on.
Early in the third quarter on September 17, Frankfurt Galaxy linebacker Vail Nasri is seen on video cornering Rhein Fire running back Glenn Toonga, pulling on his dreadlocks and tackling him.
A few seconds into the play, before the teams could pull apart, Tounga stood up and lunged at Nasri.
Umpires briefly stopped the game after the play as Toonga was seen walking to the sideline with his hands above his head.
Fans flooded social media about the controversial play.
“So… it’s ridiculous that you can grab the hair but not the helmet mask. Isn’t the helmet part of the uniform too?” one user replied on X, the platform officially known as Twitter.
“It’s just dirty.” Another user who objected to the hair-pulling tackle said:
However, many immediately raised eyebrows at the play, as a few thought it was completely legitimate.
After one user said, “Yes, hair is part of the uniform,” another entirely separate thread was formed discussing no-calls.
Another said: “Legal but morally wrong.”
A football coach entered the discussion when he expressed his views stemming from a personal issue with one of his players.
“As a coach, it’s perfectly legal for my sons and players to braid their hair and tuck it into their helmets and tuck their jerseys into it, copyright.” coach relayedAccording to the email.
Others haggled over the discussion of horse collars regarding hair pulling.
“Yeah, but by the definition of uniform tackle it should be a horse collar,” one angry user argued.
“Hmm, negative. You can’t grab the inside of the jersey collar or the inside of the shoulder pads. Hair is always fair game,” one person countered.
European football leagues have no rules prohibiting players from pulling opponents’ hair in tackles, but similar to the NFL, tugging on face masks and tackles using horse collars are not allowed in Europa. .
The NFL introduced the rule, known as the Rickey Rule, in 2003 when Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was pulled by the hair during a tackle against the New York Jets.
After the game, the NFL ruled that hair is considered part of a player’s uniform and that grabbing a tackle is legal. The New York Times reported.
