Report: Alan Maloney Under Investigation After Making HS Wrestler Cut Dreadlocks

New Jersey high school wrestling referee Alan Maloney is under investigation and will not officiate any matches until the probe is complete after forcing Buena Regional High School wrestler Andrew Johnson to cut his dreadlocks Wednesday in order to compete against Oakcrest High School.

On Saturday, a representative for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association told TMZ Sports it is reviewing the situation and recommended Maloney not be assigned to meets "in order to avoid potential distractions for the competing wrestlers":

"The NJSIAA has been in direct contact with school officials and is now awaiting official incident reports. A report also has been requested from the referee involved. In addition—and as per its formal sportsmanship policy—the NJSIAA has provided initial information to the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and will continue to send updates as they become available."

Mike Frankel of SNJ Today brought the situation to light by posting video of Johnson getting the impromptu haircut and then picking up an overtime win in his match:

The incident and questions of racially motivated discrimination were magnified based on a 2016 altercation where black referee Preston Hamilton alleged Maloney poked him in the chest and used a racial slur during a social event for wrestling officials, per Mark Trible of the Courier-Post.

A source close to Maloney told TMZ Sports he was "merely enforcing a rule about hair maintenance—and insists race was not a factor."

David Weinberg of the Press of Atlantic City reported the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights has also opened its own investigation into Maloney's actions.