Those who bring trouble essentially don't belong in a particular setting/environment. They have the potential of bringing about a bad reputation for the place where they came from. It's always best to avoid those who bring trouble to avoid.
There's no telling what kind they will bring. It can be almost be anything. There are three recent stories to epitomise this.
A New South Wales (NSW) cricketer has been permanently banned from playing after allegations he sent nude photos of himself to at least one young team-mate at his grade cricket club.
The player, who can't be named for legal reasons, has represented the NSW Blues in the Sheffield Shield and played for a T20 franchise team. Cricket NSW released a statement saying an investigation was ongoing after an emergency board meeting late last week.
"After being made aware of a serious complaint, the Cricket NSW Board determined to permanently cancel a player's registration effective immediately," the statement read. "As a result, he is suspended indefinitely from involvement in all cricket-related matters. We cannot comment further on this matter while investigations are ongoing."
It is understood one player made a complaint to the club over the alleged incident, however there are believed to be further allegations from other players.
The banned cricketer has played Sheffield Shield for the Blues and featured in the Big Bash League.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that one victim made a complaint to the club over the inappropriate photographs and there are allegations from more than one cricketer. A spokesperson from the Sydney club told the masthead: "The club is aware of the allegations and reported the matter to Cricket NSW’s Integrity Unit as soon as we were made aware."
"The player has been suspended from all club activities while investigations by the relevant authorities are ongoing."
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities plan to arrest the country's former men's cricket team captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, on corruption charges linked to his tenure as petroleum minister, a court was told on Monday.
According to local media reports, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) informed a court on Monday that it intends to arrest Ranatunga and produce him before the court in connection with an investigation into an alleged financial loss of nearly Rs. 800 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).
The 1996 World Cup-winning cricketer Ranatunga and his brother are accused of altering the procedure for awarding long-term oil procurement contracts and instead making spot purchases at higher prices, according to a corruption watchdog.
"The total loss to the state from 27 purchases is 800 million rupees," the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption told the court, as reported by news agenc,y AFP. The amount was equivalent to just over $5 million at the time the deals were made in 2017.
The commission told Colombo Magistrate Asanga Bodaragama that Arjuna Ranatunga was currently abroad and would be arrested upon his return. His elder brother, Dhammika Ranatunga, who was chairman of the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation at the time, was arrested on Monday and later released on bail.
The magistrate imposed a travel ban on Dhammika, who holds dual citizenship of Sri Lanka and the United States.
It was further reported that President’s Counsel, Saliya Pieris, appearing on behalf of Dhammika Ranatunga told the court that his client has been co-operating with investigators. He requested that the suspect be released on bail under suitable conditions in terms of the Bail Act.
After hearing both sides, the Chief Magistrate ordered the release of the suspect on two sureties of Rs. 1 million each. The court also imposed a foreign travel ban on the suspect.
The case involving the Ranatunga brothers is part of a broader crackdown by the government of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who came to power last year after pledging to act against corruption.
Another brother, Prasanna Ranatunga, a former tourism minister, was arrested last month in connection with an insurance fraud case. That matter is pending.
Prasanna Ranatunga had earlier been convicted in June 2022 for extorting money from a businessman and is currently serving a two-year suspended prison sentence.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 13 March.
Arjuna Ranatunga, 62, captained Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia in the final.
Finally, Bafana Bafana are in the final stages of their preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco. The South Africans have been backed by many as one of the teams that can push all the way and win just their second African title (after 1996).
However, this momentum has been hampered by the fallout from harsh comments made by Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, at a press conference in Pretoria last week. The Belgian tactician, visibly livid, lambasted star defender, Mbekezeli Mbokazi.
This was on the back of the 20-year-old missing his flight from Durban to Johannesburg after captaining Orlando Pirates to victory in the Carling Knockout Cup final, in which they defeated Marumo Gallants, 1-0.
The final took place in Polokwane but Broos granted the Pirates players selected for AFCON a couple of extra days off after the Knockout Cup decider. Bafana Bafana set up camp at the High Performance Centre in Pretoria on Monday, 8 December 2025.
Mbokazi used his extra time off to head home to celebrate his recent move to Major Soccer League side, Chicago Fire. Broos also expressed his disappointment with that move, insisting that Mbokazi could've received better offers after AFCON or the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"I will have a chat with him. He is a black guy. He will get out of my room as a white guy. Because that I can’t accept. But I know why. Suddenly, Mbokazi is a star – he thinks he is a star. This is the attitude of a star: ‘I will decide when I come.’ I will explain it to him. I’m very angry about his attitude," Broos blasted.
"What is he going to do in Chicago? It’s not even a top team in America. But I know what happened. That little woman who’s his agent [Basia Michaels] and thinks she knows football is doing what many agents are doing," the Belgian said.
"It’s how much they can get. If she’s a little bit clever, she should know that the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup are coming. There could have been better teams that he can go to, and not Chicago."
These fiery remarks by the 73-year-old coach, who wears his heart on his sleeve and has told South Africans a number of harsh truths during his four years in charge of Bafana Bafana, have shifted focus from South Africa as a team heading to Morocco as a title challenger. The spotlight is now on how racist and sexist Broos allegedly was during his salvo.
The coach and the South African Football Association (SAFA) have since released a statement that denied the assertions of racism and sexism that have emerged from some media outlets and at least one political party.
The coach’s shaky command of the English language is always evident when journalists have to carefully explain some of their questions at press briefings. The statement said that he just meant that Mbokazi would be pale from fear when he was done with him.
His referral to Mbokazi’s agent as a clueless "little woman" is inexcusable. Nevertheless, the coach and SAFA defended his stance and said the Belgian, who has uplifted Bafana Bafana significantly since his arrival, had simply been misunderstood – especially on the back of political party the United Democratic Movement reporting him to the Human Rights Commission.
"It is unfortunate that my strong rebuke of the player’s conduct and subsequent comments were misinterpreted as racism and sexism. I distance myself from any accusation of racism and sexism," said Broos via SAFA’s media department.
"It is mindboggling that the coach would be described in such a manner towards a player he has consistently supported since selecting him for the first time a few months ago," SAFA added.
The association further clarified that Broos’ remarks regarding the player’s agent were intended to underscore the importance of football agents prioritising players’ welfare and long-term development over short-term financial gain. SAFA said that a language barrier contributed to the coach’s frustrations not being fully or clearly conveyed during the press conference, leading to misunderstandings about his intent.
Broos’ remarks have divided South Africans, which is not good right before AFCON. Former Pirates and Bafana Bafana midfielder, Benedict Vilakazi, acknowledged that Mbokazi had made a blunder. He did say that Broos could've handled the situation better.
More so because life had moved rapidly for Mbokazi. The defender went from playing football for local clubs in his hometown of Hluhluwe to joining Pirates’ reserve team in 2023 and then being promoted to the first team the next year. It was 2025 in which things began happening for him, with the burly defender even being installed as Pirates’ vice-captain before his move to Chicago, which he will join after AFCON.
"We cannot throw this boy under the bus for just a single mistake. It’s not something that his club Pirates is dealing with every day, the issue of him being late. It just happened once. Why is it a big issue? Yes, he came late and he was wrong. But bringing up issues of him going to Chicago? How is that relevant? From just a single mistake so much fire has been created," Vilakazi said on iDiskiTV.
"We know that Hugo Broos is big on discipline. But there is a certain way to approach things as a father. Take him into a corner and sit down with him. Build him so that does not make the same mistake," Vilakazi said.
While there are differing opinions on the matter, the hope is that Bafana Bafana can find a way to move on and focus on the bigger picture of making history in Morocco. AFCON will run from 21 December - 18 January 2026; Broos and his men want to be there for the duration of the tournament.
As for Broos, he should've chosen his words better. He’s been in South Africa almost five years and should be aware of the sensitivities around race in this country.
Here's a look at the reactions from fans in Mzansi:
"We, as Kaizer Chiefs, are watching from a distance, laughing and enjoying the ride. And please, remove Mduduzi Tshabalala from your standby list, please" – Luvo Ndudula
"Coach knows exactly why he is accused. Not because of his history. He must just address the accusation head-on. He must only explain what he said" – Shalom Hasaan
"Everyone saw what he said was a joke, but because we have clowns who always want to be relevant in less important things, they seized the opportunity" – Ma Yoghurt
"The key takeaway is that all matters should have been addressed through the probate process. There was absolutely no necessity for public declarations, as the public tends to misinterpret the statements made and distort them to align with their own perspectives" – Amantombazane Ase Mzansi
""South Africans need to understand that Hugo Broos doesn’t know how to speak English properly, so his words may be interpreted differently" – Nkululeko Mbokazi
"Hugo Broos is an old man who will talk without thinking, but the most fundamental aspect is on the field" – Sanele Xulu
"It might happen that the apology is coming deep in his heart, but next time he must learn to count his words because he’s not talking with the individual but the South Africa as a whole" – Nofar Ntuli
"This is what has gotten him to be such a successful coach. It’s his level of honesty when answering a question. I love this guy. The media ask him questions, and then you go at him for answering honestly. This is how he develops trust with the players as a coach" – Sinalo Jerome Kwatsha Ngoqo
"Read what he said carefully, the majority of black people are always late comers at workplaces, which is true, and most white people are always on time at workplaces. People should stop attacking this coach for telling the truth. I do support his statement and his right Mbokazi should grow up and show up on time. There’s nothing special about him; it’s part of work after all" – Divhi Maselesele
"Don’t worry, Mr coach; we Chiefs and Sundowns fans understand what you meant. Only those mama’s babies who think their players should receive special attention will talk" – Hilton Moholola
At the moments when these actions took place, I wish I had the Millennium Eye (from the anime, Yu-Gi-Oh!). By having it, I would be able to read people's minds. It would be interesting to find out what the culprits were thinking as they were doing it.
I don't see a legitimate reason for the above actions. It's totally absurd. People who perform these kinds of acts will always be caught. At this day and age, there are numerous ways to identify the culprit/s.
It's a good thing that the above authorities acted swiftly and didn't try to hide it and pretend it didn't happen. As I stated in the introduction, it could've set a bad image/reputation if they did hide it.