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Forget The Hand of God
Sunday, 20 September 2009 | 7:53 AM
KOMPAS.com - Diego Maradona has had gold and diamond ear rings worth £3,700 seized from him by Italian police as part of an unpaid £28million tax bill.Maradona, loathed by England fans after he diverted a goal past Peter Shilton in the 1986 World Cup with his hand, was in Italy as part of a crash diet course.
Officials said he handed over the three earrings without complaint after they had knocked on the door of his luxury suite at the health spa where he was staying.
Maradona had arrived at the Hotel Palace in Merano near Bolzano in the Italian Dolomites last week on a £2,200 diet course - room not included.
Tax officials say the money is owed from the seven years he spent playing in Italy at Napoli between 1984 and 1991 - although he claims it was the club's responsibility to pay. It is not the first time that police have seized personal items from Maradona.
Three years ago two Rolex watches worth £9,000 as part of the debt and his appearance fee on Italy's version of Strictly Come Dancing were also taken.
Details of the seizure of the earrings was announced by Italy's tax authority and MP Maurizio Fugatti, of the Northern League, said: 'I reported his presence in Italy to the tax authorities when I heard about it on the news.
'I am delighted that the police intervened - I'm not sure if it was as a direct result of my call. I know the earrings are a grain of sand compared to what he owes but in any case it is a great sign to the honest tax paying citizens of this country.'
Maradona has stayed at the Hotel Palace before while at Napoli the hotel is also a favourite with Italian politicians and celebrities but today/yesterday staff refused to comment on his stay.
Under pressure Maradona, 48, is facing heavy criticism in his native Argentina following a series of defeats which have left the team on the brink of failing to make next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.
They have appeared at every tournament since 1974 and famously won the trophy when the finals were held in Argentina in 1978.
After a recent defeat against Paraguay he was quoted by FIFA.com as saying: 'I am not afraid of criticism. I am afraid of nobody. I am doing my job, I have my team and I am going to go forward.'
Sumber : The Daily Mail
