The Tweeting opinion

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Ryan Babel has become the first footballer to be charged by the F.A. for improper conduct because of something posted on twitter. Madness.

He is not the first sportsman to be at the centre of a social networking controversy, in fact he wasn't the only one in that week. Glen Johnson had to remove a comment made about Paul Merson.

It is not just football, in August 2010 Kevin Pieterson faced disciplinary action after comments he made when being left out of the T20 squad. Now fair enough if they are out of line, like Glen Johnson was, but sometimes jokes are taken too seriously.

There is now further talk of a censorship on sportsman posting their opinions on twitter, but when the Guardian opened the question up to readers online after Kevin Pieterson's comments the results were decisive.

87.9%  voted sportsman should not be banned from using twitter, good to know we're not all going mad then. At the end of the day they are people and have a right to use any social networking sight they choose. Furthermore they should be allowed to express their opinion on matters in their sport, freedom of speech and all that.

If we take the Ryan Babel situation as an example, it is a joke taken too seriously. What makes it even more ridiculous is that in the same week Theo Walcott admitted to diving in Arsenal's F.A. cup tie with Leeds United, yet Babel is charged by the F.A.

The F.A. should spend less time punishing players for having an opinion and more time punishing those who cheat and try and stamp it out of the game.

Sportsman do need to be careful of what they say on twitter because of the media attention on accounts, however they should not be completely censored or punished for expressing opinions. Babel is not the first one to comment about referees, however he is the first to be punished. That is wrong.

My tweeting opinion is that sportsman, like everyone else, have their own opinion. Governing bodies of sport should not punish them just because a tweet hurts their feelings, especially when they have failed to regulate everyone.

They should expect criticism just like players do in all sports, because as we all know they are far from perfect.