Two month ban for Maradona outburst
ARGENTINA coach Diego Maradona has been banned from any participation in the sport for two months and fined almost £15,000 for his foul-mouthed outburst at reporters.
Maradona, who had been criticised in the press for his side’s lacklustre performances, erupted after Argentina sealed their place at next year’s World Cup with a 1-0 win in Uruguay last month.
The World Cup winning former captain apologised for his comments at a hearing in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. But it was not enough to dissuade Fifa from banning the 49-year-old from “any football-related activity” until 15 January 2010. The world governing body also fined Maradona £14,800, and warned him that any similar outbursts would incur “stronger sanctions”.
Maradona rounded on his critics in a pitch-side interview seconds after the final whistle in Montevideo and then again in a post-match press conference that was broadcast live on some television networks.
The former Napoli and Barcelona playmaker, who infamously helped defeat England at the 1986 World Cup with his so-called Hand of God goal, is no stranger to controversy and came under severe pressure during the qualification campaign.