Maradona sorry for ‘theft’ call
Diego Maradona has apologised to Fifa after football’s governing body rebuked his comments criticising American referee Mark Geiger’s work in England’s win over Colombia in the World Cup round of 16.
The Argentina great, who is a Fifa ambassador, told Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur that the outcome of that game was a ‘‘monumental theft’’.
Maradona posted yesterday on Facebook that he said some things that were unacceptable because he was ‘‘driven by the emotions while rooting for Colombia’’. He said he sometimes disagrees with referee decisions but has ‘‘the utmost respect for their job, which is not easy’’.
Fifa had tolerated previous incidents by Maradona at games in Russia. He apologised for making an offensive gesture toward a South Korean fan at Argentina’s opening 1-1 draw with Iceland in Moscow and also broke World Cup stadium rules by smoking a cigar.
Maradona was also filmed on Fifa’s official television broadcast aggressively raising his middle fingers after Argentina scored a late winning goal against Nigeria.
England advanced to the quarterfinals in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in a feisty game slowed by stoppages and players arguing with Geiger, a former high school teacher from New Jersey.
Fifa said Maradona’s ‘‘insinuations’’ were ‘‘entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded’’.
Fifa has had a turbulent relationship with Maradona in his career as a player and coach.
He tested positive for a cocktail of banned substances at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and was sent home.
As Argentina’s coach in 2009, a Fifa suspension for a tirade aimed at reporters after a World Cup qualifying game barred Maradona from attending the 2010 finals draw in Cape Town, South Africa.
Maradona was an outspoken critic of previous Fifa president Sepp Blatter, but was brought back into the fold when Gianni Infantino was elected in 2016.