This week, Diego Maradona accused his successor as coach of Argentina, Sergio Batista, of accepting bribes; however, a claim made on Saturday suggests that Maradona himself is also implicated in corruption.
The accusation came from Gabriel Buono, Maradona’s former private secretary, who stated, “He talks about bribes but, if you are looking for someone who is corrupt, the first person is Maradona…I’ve got all the evidence.”
On Thursday, Maradona created a controversy by alleging that Batista had taken bribes to select specific players for the national team.
After a disappointing Copa América on home turf in July, Batista was dismissed, having only stepped into the role after Maradona’s departure post the 2010 World Cup, where Argentina faced a quarter-final defeat to Germany.
Prior to taking over from Maradona, Batista was already part of the Argentine coaching setup and had successfully led the Olympic squad to victory at the 2008 Games.
In response, Batista threatened to pursue legal action against Maradona, now coaching the UAE club Al Wasl, for asserting to TyC Sports broadcaster that “after we (Maradona and his entourage) took over the team, there was an end to bribes.”
Maradona intimated that prior arrangements had allowed certain players to have guarantees before he eliminated such practices.
Batista firmly denied the allegations made by Maradona and announced that he would initiate legal proceedings to counter what he described as Maradona’s “falsehoods which are a product of resentment” following his removal as national coach.
by Buford Balony
