German hairdressers criticize footballers over lockdown hair

Professional footballers being accused of vanity is nothing new, nor are extravagant haircuts on the pitch. But with hairdressers, salons and barber shops all closed in Germany under coronavirus lockdown restrictions, how are Bundesliga players managing to keep their hairstyles so fresh while the rest of the population develop less flattering mops?

That is the question raised by Germany's hairdressing union (ZVF) in an open letter to the German Football Association (DFB) this week, in which it claims that certain haircuts sported by footballers can only have been done by professionally trained hairdressers with professional equipment.

"We've been in lockdown for four weeks," says Harald Esser, president of the ZVF, which represents around 80,000 German hairdressers which have been closed since December 16. "If I had shaved my head on December 15, the hair will have grown at least one centimeter since then."

Esser's insinuation is that professional footballers have broken lockdown rules by inviting professional hairdressers to their homes, with private house visits also banned during lockdown. Indeed, ZVF even claims that hairdressers have reported attempts by customers to convince them to visit them and cut their hair unofficially – a form of black market.

"I cannot believe that 50% of footballers have partners or family who are professional hairstylists," Esser told DW, although that particular scenario does apply to Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo (above), whose partner Vanessa is indeed a trained hairdresser.

'No visits from hairdressers'

Otherwise, there is as yet no concrete evidence that any players have broken any rules — not since Borussia Dortmund stars Jadon Sancho and Manuel Akanji were fined a reported €10,000 ($12,150) in June last year after social media posts emerged showing them having their hair cut at home.

The clubs insist that they regularly remind their players of the importance of adhering to the Bundesliga's strict hygiene concept, which has thus far avoided the sort of situation seen in England's Premier League, where several matches have already been postponed due to rising coronavirus cases.

"We're not aware of any players having visits from hairdressers. In fact, I've actually just spoken to a player who said he cut his own hair," said Markus Aretz, director of communications at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

"We regularly warn our players to be extra careful about contact with people outside of their immediate families, meaning partner and children," he added. "Our impression is that all our players have been very disciplined in adhering to the rules so far."

Germany's player's union (VDV) has also rejected allegations that its members have infringed coronavirus regulations. "Just because someone appears with a well-groomed hairstyle doesn't mean that it's a result of rule-breaking," VDV boss Ulf Baranowsky told SID, adding: "There are often family members, teammates and other colleagues [within the players' hygiene bubbles] who have a talent for hairdressing."

Nevertheless, Harald Esser of the hairdressers' union appealed to players to remain aware of their responsibilities as role models and not to show off their haircuts – wherever they had them done.