Connecticut Experts Weigh In On Wrestling Dreadlocks Controversy

Nearly a week after a controversial ruling by a New Jersey high school wrestling official, in which he ordered an athlete to cut his dreadlocks or risk forfeiting his match, reaction to the incident has spread nationwide, including television networks, major publications and, of course, social media.

Many people, including some high-profile athletes, claim the incident was racially motivated, citing an allegation that official Alan Maloney used a racial slur at a gathering of officials in 2016.

The Dec. 19 dual meet between Buena Regional and Oakcrest high schools was interrupted when Buena wrestler Andrew Johnson was told by Maloney that he needed his hair cut prior to taking the mat, or else he would forfeit the bout.

Johnson opted to have his dreadlocks shorn by an athletic trainer, then emerged victorious in overtime in his match which helped his team to a 41-24 victory.

A video of the sideline haircut quickly exploded on social media outlets, sparking considerable outrage. Buena Mayor Chuck Chiarello described the incident as a "public spectacle," while on Twitter, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he was "deeply disturbed" about the situation.

Olympian Jordan Burroughs, who won the gold medal at the 2012 London Games, posted a message on his Instagram account, praising Johnson as "a very brave man."

That was extremely courageous what you were able to do out there, and the fact that with all the adversity and racism that you were facing in the moment, that you were still able to stay focused and go out there and get the W for your team, I respect that about you.

Burroughs continued his message to Johnson by stating, "The fact that the parents and the coaching staff in that gymnasium allowed for you to be put in this position and didn’t protect you is absolutely shameful."

In the same Instagram video, Burroughs addressed Maloney directly, stating:

Alan Maloney, bro, come on. You gotta be stopped, dog. You have been a referee since I was a kid. You reffed some of my matches when I was in high school, and this isn’t the first incident that you’ve had in South Jersey. And I had a lot of respect for you, and I still have a lot of respect for you as a referee. But as an individual, as a man of character and integrity, there’s no way — listen. You gotta step away from the stripes for a second. Right? Put the whistle down and be a man. Just be a human being, understand. Bro, listen. You can’t do this to a young dude.

On Twitter, Burroughs took things a step further, calling the incident "a combination of an abuse of power, racism and just plain negligence."

Wrestling rules established by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) clearly state athletes' hair cannot extend past the ear lobes, otherwise a legal hair covering must be worn. Johnson was wearing a cap, but it was not attached to the headgear as the rule requires.

While the other Buena wrestlers supported their teammate, and said it could have been handled better, they mostly hailed Johnson as a team player and said he was complying with the rules by cutting his hair, nj.com reports. Unlike those who spoke Wednesday night at an emergency meeting of the Buena Regional School District Board of Education, they did not see a racial component to the situation.

"It was just a rule, and he did what he had to do for the team," Buena senior Jaden Roberts, who is African-American, told the news outlet. "It was handled perfectly fine. No matter what color skin you are, you have to follow the rule and that's what happened. Drew did what he had to do for the team. He made the decision."

Patch editors in Connecticut sought opinions on the matter from a number of local wrestling experts. All confirmed that referees rarely attend weigh-ins, which can take place up to two hours prior to the start of a meet, but issues such as hair and fingernail length are routinely discussed with athletes and coaches at a pre-meet gathering.

"A few years ago, the NFHS ruled a few hair coverings are no longer approved, and only one type is allowed now," said former Fermi High School coach Jeff Beiler. "We had a few girls on our team, for whom the school system purchased appropriate hair coverings."

Beiler recalled one instance when an opponent was in violation of the rule, but it was resolved prior to the meet.

"This should have been addressed at the pre-meet conference with coaches and athletes, which is meant to be interactive," Beiler said.

A longtime Connecticut referee, who asked not to be identified, said he "could count on two hands" the number of times he has had to enforce the hair length rule by ordering a wrestler's locks to be cut.

Barry Bernstein, who won multiple state championships as head coach at Manchester High School and is a member of the town's Sports Hall of Fame, said, "Over my 45 years I've cut and seen countless last-minute cuts by others as a coach and ref. My issue is that it seems as if the ref didn't accept it as appropriate. He also apparently has had other issues and this match he missed the weigh-ins when hair and nails are checked. If he had told him at weigh-ins to cut it and he showed up at the mat without doing it, then he would be given the choice to do it at the mat or forfeit."

Ben Aleks, an inductee of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame, coached for many years at Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass. before taking the job at Fermi in 1984.

"In the 1970s, hair was very long and there were some controversies that had to be dealt with," Aleks said. "I'm flexible; I like to have the kids wrestle. In this case, I would have pulled out the rule book and asked him to show me where it says he has to cut his hair, then said I'm wrestling this meet under protest and try to reach the head official."

Several experts stated the head coach is ultimately responsible for making sure the athletes are prepared to take the mat.

"It's the coaches' responsibility to make sure that his wrestler is wearing the proper equipment," said Gerry deSimas, editor of the Connecticut Wrestling Online web site and a member of the New England Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Patch editor Anthony Bellano contributed to this story.

Photo and video credit: Shaun King via YouTube

To sign up for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.