Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has been fine by the UAE Football Association for having “unethical hair”.
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Ghana international Gyan, 31, is contracted to Shanghai SIPG but is currently in the midst of a loan spell at Ah Ahli.
He has fallen foul of local rules, however, apparently due to his mohawk style of hair. Some interpretations of Islam deem that ‘Qaza’ styles of haircuts, which leave part of the head shaved but other parts unshaven, are banned.
Gyan is not alone in being fined for falling foul of this custom, with more than 40 players in a similar position to him.
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It is not the first time that haircuts have caused controversy in the Gulf region, with Waleed Abdullah, a goalkeeper for Saudi Arabi, having been told to chop his “un-Islamic” locks before turning out for Al Shabab.
The guidelines surrounding hair appear to be unclear, with website Ahdaaf tweeting the above picture highlighting the strange nature of the situation. Asian Football of the Year Omar Abdulrahman, pictured left, was not deemed to have breached the code, but Suhail Al-Mansoori on the right was.