Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana midfielder Thalente Mbatha has dismissed allegations that he recently arrived drunken at training and has been suspended by the club.
There had been claims in local media that Mbatha was unable to take part in a recent training session after arriving intoxicated.
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It was further claimed that Mbatha was suspended from training and matches, pending an investigation, however, the Pirates midfielder rubbished those claims after going on Instagram Live, while in good spirits in his car.
“They said I’m not training… You’re listening to everything,” he stated.
“I just came back from training. I don’t know a thing about being suspended. People can say whatever about me, but I’m coming from training.
“I’ll see you tomorrow guys [against Golden Arrows]. I guess the person who started all this knows better. I guess he’s the one who hired me, he’s the owner.”
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Meanwhile, Mbatha’s agent Mike Makaab has also taken to social media and demanded a public apology otherwise they might pursue legal action.
“It is deeply disappointing to see defamatory and unfounded allegations being made about a professional footballer’s character and conduct,” Makaab stated on social media.
“The claim that Thalente Mbatha arrived at training under the influence is completely false. Thalente was injured and has since resumed training with his team. Any suggestion that his absence was due to serious misconduct is not only damaging to his reputation but also defamatory.
“We demand a public apology on social media to the player, his family, and his club. Should this not be forthcoming, we reserve all rights to pursue appropriate legal action. Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy, but it does not extend to the spread of baseless falsehoods that harm an individual’s reputation.”
Pirates are back in action on Wednesday, when they will face Golden Arrows at 19:30.
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