Aw, come on, let’s face it – even football stars need a haircut, especially when you’re 20 years old, feeling a bit hemmed in by the stifling pandemic lockdown protocols and currently one of the Bundesliga’s hottest young strikers, with the rest of the European leagues top flight clubs breathing hard down your neck to be in their squads.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, obviously frazzled, labeled the decision to fine him after being pictured having a home haircut without wearing a mask an “absolute joke”. The England forward’s teammate Manuel Akanji has also been fined after they were deemed to have broken rules.
Photos emerged of Sancho and 24-year-old Swiss defender Akanji having their hair styled in their respective homes, with neither the players nor the hairdresser wearing any personal protective equipment.
“Absolute joke DFL,” tweeted Sancho, which was later deleted.
The German football league DFL said in a statement: “The players from Borussia Dortmund had obviously violated general hygiene and infection protection standards at home hairdressing appointments and in particular the medical-organisational concept of the DFL task force.
“There is no question that professional footballers also have to have their hair cut. However, this currently has to be done in accordance with the medical-organisational concept.”
The German football federation (DFB) decided on Wednesday it would not fine Sancho for lifting his Dortmund shirt to reveal a t-shirt bearing the message “Justice For George Floyd” during the win against Paderborn last weekend.
The Bundesliga became the first of the major European football leagues to resume on May 17, following the coronavirus shutdown.
Players and coaches are strictly required to follow strict health guidelines, including regular testing and only remaining with family members or teammates in between matches.