Former Argentina football star and current coach, Diego Maradona, has been fined for dedicating a victory of his team to Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, Mexican Football Federation said on Tuesday.
Maradona said on March 31 that he was dedicating the 3-2 victory of his second-division side, Dorados de Sinaloa, over Tampico to “Nicolas Maduro and all of Venezuela, who are suffering”.
The former star accused U.S. “Yankees” of trying to interfere in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
“Maradona will be sanctioned with an `economic fine’ for violating the federation’s ethical code,’’ the Mexican football governing body said in a statement.
The code requires him to remain politically neutral.
The federation did not say, however, how much the fine would amount to.
Maradona, 58, has had close relations with the Venezuelan government since the 1999 to 2013 rule of Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez.
In 2018, after a speech by Maduro at a campaign rally in the capital. Caracas, before the country’s controversial presidential elections, the hero of 1986 World Cup appeared on stage waving a Venezuelan flag and dancing.
Maduro, who was re-elected in the disputed election, has presided over an economic meltdown and a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
Maradona said recently that he may leave his job as Dorados coach.
Many in the sport, including football writers, players, and fans, regard him as the greatest football player of all time.
He was joint FIFA Player of the 20th Century with Pelé.
