Gone are the days when sports stars were only available through traditional media platforms such as print, radio and television. Now your favourite athlete can be followed constantly through such social networks as Twitter and Facebook.

Sports stars initially flocked to these two sites, particularly Twitter, as it was seen to be a way to get their thoughts and point of view across without the risk of being misquoted or taken out of context.

But in more recent times, these high-profile sportsmen and women have come to realise that these social mediums may not be the answer they were looking for.

St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, like many others before him, will attest that such sites as Facebook and Twitter can do more harm than good, after a naked picture of Riewoldt was posted on both sites earlier this week.

Although Riewoldt was not involved in its publication and believed the photo no longer existed, he is now well and truly 'on message' about the dangers of social media. The same with a host of other sporting folk around the globe. Because there's nothing quite as viral as a salacious celebrity photo, or inflammatory text.

In light of the latest Facebook and Twitter controversy, BPL felt it necessary to reminisce on some of the not so finer moments of sports stars and the technology revolution.

1. Nick Riewoldt

The Saint was caught with his pants down after having a happy snap taken with a team mate in a hotel room in Miami. Although there are conflicting statements about who took the picture there is no debating that the release of the photo has caused great embarrassment to the Saints' leader.

The story that revolves around the release of the picture appears to be far more interesting than the picture itself. In the days after the photo was first posted on her Facebook site, the teenager, who is the same girl who was romantically linked to two St Kilda footballers earlier in the year, has appeared on several radio stations and given countless interviews.

This story promises to evolve as the female in question has threatened to release several other photos of AFL players in the coming days.

2. Joel Monaghan

What happens when you combine alcohol, mad Monday celebrations, a mobile phone, Joel Monaghan and a dog? It sounds like a bad joke but for Joel Monaghan it was anything but as the former Canberra Raider found himself immersed in controversy and looking for a new job. Monaghan fronted the media looking like a man who had lost a close friend and he probably had as one of his team-mates posted the picture online via Twitter.

3. Stephanie Rice

Stephanie Rice (pictured, above) posted a late-night rant on Twitter, after the Wallabies' last-minute Tri Nations win over South Africa, in which she wrote: ''Suck on that faggots!" A remorseful Rice fronted the media and apologised profusely for her comments but not before her sponsorship deal with Jaguar had driven off a cliff.

"Suck on that faggots. Probs the best game I've ever seen!! Well done boys."

4. Phillip Hughes

Phil Hughes let slip some pivotal information before the third Test during the last Ashes series in England. The Australian opening batsmen posted on his Twitter account that he would not be playing in the Test match, a seemingly innocuous statement except for the fact that the Australian selectors wanted to keep the details "in-house".

"Disappointed not to be on the field with the lads today. Will be supporting the guys, it's a BIG test match 4 us. Thanks 4 all the support."

5. Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen wears his heart on his sleeve and that's one of the reasons why the Englishmen is both loved and loathed. However, his willingness to let the world know how he is feeling landed the right hander in a little trouble when he announced, via Twitter, that he had been dumped from the one-day international squad for the tour of India. It seems Pietersen is as humble on Twitter as he is out in the middle.

"Done for rest of summer!! Man of the World Cup T20 and dropped from the T20 side too.. Its [sic] a f*** up!! Surrey have signed me."

6. Shane Warne

Shane Warne would be right up at the top of the list for title of Twitter King when it comes to Australian sports personalities. Warne was never one to bite his tongue during his playing days and it seems this trait has followed him into retirement. During Australia's tour of India earlier this year, Warne criticised Ricky Ponting's field placements for spinner Nathan Hauritz via his Twitter account.

''How the hell can hauritz bowl to this field?? Feeling for hauritz, terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky but what are you doing.''

More recently Warne was caught romancing Liz Hurley via the social network site which led to some rather humorous headlines in the British tabloids including: ‘Just get horny Warnie' and ‘Liz takes Warne's bails.' Clearly this is not the first time Warne has had his pants pulled down and it promises not to be the last.

7. Chad Ochocinco

Chad Ochocinco loves his Twitter account and uses it quite regularly as these comments would attest: "I tweet when the sun rises and sets because everything in between is interesting." Naturally the Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver would then Tweet during games. This last action however cost him $25,000, roughly $500 for each word.

"Just talk with Kelly Washington, Desean Jackson, Geoff Pope, Hank Baskett and I caught a ball from Mike Vick, I love pre-game warm up."

"Man I'm sick of getting hit like that, it's the damn preseason shit! 1day I'm gone jump up and start throwing hay makers."

It seems Ochocinco learnt his lesson.

"I've been fined by the league a substantial amount of money for tweeting, 1st time twitter hasn't made me money but cost me money."

8. Floyd Mayweather

Floyd ‘Pretty Boy' Mayweather is in the business of shooting off his mouth and has made quite a successful career out of verbally abusing his opponents. It was a racial rant via Twitter however, that had the fighter out of his depth. Mayweather launched this disgraceful tirade at Manny Pacquiao before attempting to stuff the words back in as fast as they came out, obviously an impossible feat.

"Once I stomp the midget, I'll make that motherfucker make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice."

"We gonna cook that motherfucker with some cats and dogs. And rice with a little bit of cat, rice with a little bit of barbecued dog."

9. Dimitri Mascarenhas

The Hampshire captain Dimitri Mascarenhas was fined £1,000 by his county after he let rip at England selector Geoff Miller on Twitter. After reading the comments one wonders why Mascarenhas doesn't go into greeting cards.

"Chairman of selectors came and didn't even come say hi.. What a prick ... Doesn't take much to say hello does it??"

"Geoff miller is a complete knob. He had no clue what he is doing. F***ing prick."

Like all good sportsman Mascarenhas, blamed the booze for his tirade, obviously not subscribing to the theory that a drunk man's actions are a sober man's thoughts.

"Unfortunately these are the things that happen when you have too much to drink.. I was out with a few mates, it got to the early hours and as you do you think you're invincible and I did something very stupid,'' he said later.

10. Jonathan Thomas

The Wales lock was forced to apologise after making a homophobic outburst via Twitter. Unfortunately for Thomas the timing could not have been worse considering that Wales team-mate Gareth Thomas recently became the first professional rugby player in Britain to reveal he was gay.

Ian Evans (a teammate of Thomas): "Legs and ass are in bits, can't move."

Thomas posted in reply: "U gotta stop hanging round with Nigel Owens!" (A Welsh referee who came out in 2007).

11. Nathan Baker

Never heard of Nathan Baker? That's all right check your Facebook inbox as there is a fair chance that the Aston Villa youth tried to sell you some tickets for the Carling Cup final between his side and Manchester United.

The England under 19 international was hawking the tickets for £200 apiece, an outrageous price considering Baker wasn't even playing.

12. Mark Cuban

Cuban was a little frustrated after the referees failed to call a technical foul on Denver Nuggets player JR Smith. The Dallas Mavericks owner then proceeded to comment via Twitter and vent his anger. The NBA responded by calling a tech on Cuban and in the process fined him $25,000. This ruling was history making as it is believed to be the first instance of a person being fined by a sports league for a tweet.

"How do they not call a tech on JR Smith for coming off the bench to taunt our player on the ground?"

"Scary part of that play: Same crew chief from game in Denver where they missed call - last play of the game & 1st JRSmith/Wright issue."

"Just found out got fined 25k by NBA. Nice"