Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho says it is an “absolute joke” he has been fined by the German football league after being pictured having a home haircut without wearing a mask.

England forward Sancho’s team-mate Manuel Akanji has also been fined after they were deemed to have broken rules.

The league said the players had “obviously violated general hygiene and infection protection standards”.

Sancho, 20, criticised the decision in a Twitter post which he later deleted.

Dortmund had defended the players, saying they had not breached the Bundesliga’s health and safety rules.

Hair salons reopened in Germany in May but there are strict rules in place, including the wearing of masks by both customers and hairdressers.

German newspaper Bild posted the news on its Twitter account on Friday with the offending picture.

On Thursday, Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc said the group of six players had assured the club that they had followed safety guidelines and the masks were only taken off for the photograph.

But the league (DFL) decided to take action against Sancho and Akanji after they were pictured without personal protective equipment.

“There is no question that professional footballers also have to have their hair cut,” added the DFL.

“However, this currently has to be done in accordance with the medical-organisational concept.”