High school to skip events officiated by referee who told wrestler to cut hair

A New Jersey school district says its wrestling team will no longer compete in events officiated by a referee who told a wrestler to lose his dreadlocks or forfeit his bout.

The cutting of a teenage wrestler's hair was a familiar act of violence for black athletes Read more

The announcement came during an emergency meeting held Wednesday with the Buena Regional school board and members of the community. The groups that assign referees have already said they wouldn’t assign the ref until further notice.

Buena Regional High School wrestler Andrew Johnson had his dreadlocks cut minutes before his match on 19 December.

Johnson, who is black, had a cover over his hair, but referee Alan Maloney, who is white, said that wouldn’t be sufficient. Maloney didn’t respond to requests for comment.

WCAU-TV reports the high school’s wrestling coach and athletic trainer discussed the incident with board members behind closed doors Wednesday.

The decision came days after a lawyer for Johnson suggested the impromptu hair cut was due in part to the referee’s tardiness.

Dominic Speziali issued a statement Monday in which Johnson’s parents said Maloney didn’t attend the weigh-in that day. They also say that when Maloney evaluated the teen before the match, he didn’t raise any issues with the length of his hair or the need to wear a head covering.

Michael Cherenson, spokesman for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, said the organization had reached out to groups that assign referees “and they’ve all agreed” not to assign Alan Maloney to any event until further notice.

In the statement issued Monday, Johnson’s parents also thanked those who have shown support for their son.

“Andrew has been deeply moved by the thunderous outpouring of unsolicited support – including from an Olympic wrestler, leading civil rights advocates and elected officials – after the shocking pre-match ultimatum,” the statement said.

“Wrestling has taught Andrew to be resilient in the face of adversity. As we move forward, we are comforted by both the strength of Andrew’s character and the support he’s received from the community. We will do all that we can to make sure that no student-athlete is forced to endure what Andrew experienced.”