Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan has been told he has "unethical hair", by the United Arab Emirates Football Association (UAEFA).
The Ghana striker is currently playing with Al Ahli in the Arabian Gulf League. He is loan at the club, after signing for Shanghai SIPG in China in 2015. He moved the Al Ahli last August.
Gyan, who is well known for his colourful hair, most notably having the number three dyed into the side of his head. He is one of around 40 players to fall foul of the rules.
There is precedent for the unusual situation. Waleed Abdullah was forced to cut his hair on the pitch, before a game in Saudi Arabia last year. His 'Qaza' hairstyle is similiar to Gyan's, and the mohawk-type hair is not allowed in the country.
Middle Eastern football website Ahdaaf has shown the discrepancies with the rules, with players allowed to keep their hairstyles, while others with a very similar look, are told to shave theirs.
On the left: Omar Abdulrahman exempt from haircut law.
On the right: Suhail Al-Mansoori of @AlWahdaFCC before he had to cut his hair. pic.twitter.com/20oE0g2Frg
— Ahdaaf (@ahdaafme) February 14, 2017
