FIFA has said that there is no word from Diego Maradona over threat to quit

FIFA has refused that Diego Maradona has threatened to quit as the FIFA Ambassador.

FIFA appointed Diego Maradona as the Ambassador of the game in February 2017. He was delighted to join a “clean and transparent” body. Not even two months have passed and reports have emerged that he has already threatened to quit his role. Maradona is an icon of the game and single-handedly led Albiceleste to the 1986 World Cup. He lives a carefree life after his retirement. He has been involved in multiple scandals since his retirement. Maradona is considered as one of the best players to ever grace the game, if not the best. He has scored the two most famous goals in World Cup history, “The Hand of God” and  “The goal of the century”.

Maradona’s Threat

Maradona has publically backed the new FIFA administration and was in support of Infantino’s decision to increases the number of teams in the World Cup from 32 to 48. He is reportedly upset with football’s governing body due to FIFA’s  decision regarding the Argentina Football Association (AFA).

Maradona told Argentine newspaper, Clarin that he was unhappy over Argentina FA’s decision to appoint television presenter Marcelo Tinelli as head of its National teams Committee. The committee oversees teams from under-17 upwards.

Last June, FIFA put AFA under the administration of a ‘normalisation committee’. FIFA stepped in because of the financial and government crisis the AFA was facing. It currently holds the power to reverse the decision of Tinelli’s appointment. Maradona told Gianni Infantino in a telephone call that he would step down if the decision is not reversed in two days. The committee’s main role is to prepare AFA for the Presidential Election which is due to be held on Wednesday.

Recent Developments

FIFA said on Monday that it has received no official word from Diego Maradona related to his threats. FIFA said that their last official contact with the World Cup winner was the draw for Under-20 World Cup in South Korea on March 15. A FIFA spokesman said, `”There have been no updates from him since then”. FIFA is also firm on its stance that the relations between Maradona and themselves are “very positive”. There have been opposing reports regarding this issue. Considering Maradona’s volatile personality and FIFA’s not so clean image, anything can happen in this case.