Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard has apologised after he wassent off for kicking a ball boy in a League Cup game at Swansea City recently.
Here’s a look at some other sporting controversies featuringboys and girls employed to help keep the action going:
OVER-EAGER BALL BOY STOPS PLAY: An inattentive ball boysparked confusion during a match between Andy Murray and Victor Troicki at the2011 French Open by running onto the court mid-point. As Troicki lined up asmash, the boy dashed onto the court in the mistaken belief the ball had goneout, before retreating sheepishly to his position by the umpire's chair. Theumpire ordered the point, which Troicki won, to be replayed, and Murray went onto win the match.
CABAYE LOSES PATIENCE AT GOODISON PARK: Newcastle Unitedmidfielder Yohan Cabaye, a team-mate of Hazard's at Lille, got involved in analtercation with a ball boy in a match at Everton last season. With Newcastletrailing, Cabaye was seen to angrily wrench the ball from the hands of apitch-side ball boy. The incident sparked jeers from the home fans, but Cabayesought the boy out at half-time to apologise.
BRAZILIAN BALL BOY SCORES GOAL: A Brazilian referee was leftred-faced after allowing a goal scored by a ball boy to stand in a regionaltournament in Sao Paulo in September 2006. Standing behind one of the goals,the boy fielded the ball after a wayward shot and then casually kicked it intothe goal when the referee's back was turned. The referee, Silvia Regina deOliveira, said she had awarded the goal on the advice of one of her assistants.
HENMAN TAKES ANGER OUT ON BALL GIRL: Before Tim Henman hadwon the hearts of British tennis fans with his string of near-misses atWimbledon, he landed himself in hot water in 1995 for angrily hitting a ball ata ball girl during a doubles match. The ball struck the girl on the face andHenman was disqualified from the tournament along with his partner, JeremyBates. He later apologised and planted a kiss on the girl's cheek that onetabloid newspaper dubbed: 'the Hen-peck'.
BALL BOY LOSES BEARINGS: A ball boy displayed too mucheagerness to retrieve the ball during a league match between Tottenham Hotspurand Bolton Wanderers in May 2010 when he ran on the pitch to collect it beforeit had even gone out of play. Bolton left-back Paul Robinson looked incredulouswhen the boy stopped the ball as he moved in to play it, and play was restartedwith a drop-ball.
