Back in December, referee Alan Maloney forced high school wrestler Andrew Johnson “to either cut his dreadlocks or forfeit a match.”1 And now Maloney is claiming he was defamed and is owed $100,000 in damages.
“In a letter to the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), obtained by TMZ, Maloney said that he was doing his job when he gave Johnson the ultimatum, because the athlete’s hair violated the rules regarding hair length. Maloney reportedly made further claims that he gave Johnson time to retrieve a hair covering, which he alleges Johnson didn’t have. Ultimately, Maloney said that providing the athlete time to cut his dreadlocks altogether was in accordance with NJSIAA policy.”1
Maloney now says that all the media attention surrounding his decision to give Johnson the ultimatum has caused him humiliated, a tarnished reputation, and loss of income as a ref.
“Maloney hasn’t reffed a high school wrestling match since the event, and is barred from doing so while the NJSIAA conducts an investigation. The NJSIAA tells Yahoo Lifestyle that it will be reviewing ‘the incident and consider related issues, including the rule and its application.’ But until the investigation is closed, officials cannot comment on the matter.”1
We will be watching this play out and update you as more information becomes available.
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