Is hair pulling the new handball? As debates rage over VAR, offsides, and accidental contact, a different kind of controversy is taking center stage in the Premier League this season—and it involves a literal handful of incidents.

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard became the third player this season to see red for pulling an opponent's hair, during Saturday's 1-1 draw against relegated Wolves. The incident occurred in the 24th minute when Ballard challenged home forward Tolu Arokodare for the ball. Referee Paul Tierney initially waved play on, but after a VAR review and a pitchside monitor check, he brandished the red card.

As Sunderland fans chanted "this isn't football," Ballard joined an unwanted club: Everton's Michael Keane and Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez have also been sent off for hair pulls this season. Remarkably, Arokodare has been the victim in two of those three incidents—the first involving Keane back on January 7.

Both Everton and Manchester United failed in their appeals to overturn the red cards and resulting three-game bans, making it unlikely that Sunderland will have any success if they challenge Ballard's dismissal. "I think when it's not intentional, it was an accident," said Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris. "It's hard to execute the rule like it was intentional. Sometimes handball is the same—there is always a grey area, and probably with this rule we are in that stage."

Interestingly, there isn't a specific law against hair pulling. It currently falls under the umbrella of violent conduct, alongside actions like pushing an opponent in the face or elbowing them in the head. The referees' body, PGMOL, made it clear to clubs at the start of the season that hair pulling will always be treated as a red-card offence under this rule.

With three red cards for the same offense in one season—and a growing sense of frustration from players and fans alike—the question is no longer just about the calls themselves. It's about whether the laws of the game need to be rewritten to better distinguish between intentional aggression and accidental contact. As the debate heats up, one thing is clear: on the pitch, every strand matters.