No sex, alcohol or social networking for World Cup stars

POTCHEFSTROOM - Spain landed in South Africa Friday for the FIFA World Cup, but none of the players were allowed to talk about it online because of a strict ban on players using social networking websites.

World Cup bans are nothing new but the prohibition usually targets sex and alcohol - now it is Twitter that the players are told is out of bounds.

“We are old enough to know what to do and what not to do,” said Spain defender Carles Puyol but that does not seem to be the opinion of most coaches and Holland coach Bert van Marwijk is probably wishing he had joined the likes of Marcelo Bielsa, Joachim Loew, Fabio Capello, Carlos Dunga and Javier Aguirre by banning Twitter before forward Eljero Elia caused a storm in Holland by using the words “Cancerous Morrocan” while online.

Elia used the phrase in the context of a joke but he had to apologise immediately afterwards and social networking is now also banned in the Holland squad.

But if there is a “king of the bans” then it has to be Marcelo Bielsa. The Chile coach has told his players that they cannot have sex, use Twitter, use the Internet at night or talk to the press.

Not every coach has been completely clear - Brazil’s Dunga has banned players being near family or friends but not banned sex. And some have been very specific. Diego Maradona has said sex is okay but only with wives and girlfriends and without alcohol.

Carlos Queiroz banned alcohol for his players as soon as they got on the plane to South Africa and he extended the ban to everybody else on the plane.

Ultimately whatever the prohibition all that matters is that the ball hits the back of the net. But is seems coaches are more aware than ever that you cannot have too much control over your players.