Referee bans basketballer's hair braid 'weapon'

Sula Fa'anana, 14, has had to change her hairstyle after a referee ruled it was unsafe. Photo / Dean Purcell

A young Waitakere basketball player has been banned from wearing tightly braided hair after a referee pulled her up for using it as a weapon.

She has fallen foul of a ruling by referees and umpires, who say a tight braid could swing into other players' faces, injuring them.

Sula Fa'anana, 14, was recently told to change her hairstyle after a referee deemed she had been using it as a "weapon" to whip opponents.

It was the first time in three years of playing representative basketball for Waitakere that her hair had been an issue.

She has also represented Auckland and NZ in under-15 basketball.

Her older sister Tufou Fa'anana, who attends all of Sula's games, said they were surprised when the referee stopped the game.

"The coach went up to ask what was happening and she said her hair was whipping into other players."

The referee ruled that Sula had deliberately charged at a player with her hair, Miss Fa'anana said.

"When she was running, the girls were trying to get out of the way. When she turns, you can imagine it's like a whip when it flicks around."

Other teammates with long hair have since been told to put their hair up in a bun, tie it in a loose ponytail or have a loose plait, rather than a tight plait.

Sula now sits for up to 45 minutes before a game while her hair is braided into cornrows.

Basketball New Zealand chief executive Tim Hamilton said yesterday that he did not know if there was a specific rule on hair, but said it was at the referee's discretion.

"I've heard of health issues or people who've worn jewellery and it's interfered and quite rightly they've had to take it off, but hair's a new one," Mr Hamilton said.

"If the referee deems it obstructing, then I guess it's their responsibility."

Mr Hamilton suggested referees would follow international guidelines.

Although international basketball rules do not say anything about braided hair, Basketball Australia has ruled that no player can have a braid as it may cause harm if another player was struck by it.

The rule says: "Players with plaited ponytails must be instructed by the referees to either roll the plait into a bun or remove the plait and play with a loose ponytail."

In netball, rules state that hair braiding must be securely contained so as not to cause injury or interfere with play.