Argentina's Maradona in critical health condition

Commotion in Argentina as world's greatest soccer star has been taken into intensive care at a Buenos Aires clinic. Doctors refused to talk but his hospitalization may be due to drugs consumption.

Argentina's soccer star Diego Armando Maradona has been taken into intensive care yesterday at a Buenos Aires clinic and is now in critical health condition, as local radio and television quoted doctors as saying. Also, preliminary information says Maradona had been hospitalized due to drug abuse.

Maradona, who has long been in therapy to battle a drug addiction that has left him a bloated shadow of his former self, was taken into intensive care because of an irregular heartbeat. In January 2000, in the Uruguayan international resort of Punta del Este, Maradona had suffered of a similar health condition, which called for a special treatment in Cuba, where he is living since then.

Maradona, who was in the posh Suizo-Argentina clinic in Buenos Aires, had earlier attended a soccer game at his former club Boca Juniors' stadium in the Argentine capital. He looked very euphoric there, as his team jumped into the top of the local league after defeating Nueva Chicago 2 - 0.

However, later on Sunday, the local media begun reporting about Maradona's hospitalization. By night, it became known that, according to his familiars, was under critical health condition, as doctors were concerned about Maradona’s hearth and its strenght to resist a new abuse with drugs.

Maradona was spending a few weeks in Argentina to visit his parents and family. Maradona got divorce recently and by living in Cuba could not see his children for a long time.

Maradona, now 43, is regarded as one of the finest players to have graced the game, leading Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986.

Photo (AP): Maradona on Sunday, at Boca Junior's stadium.