FIFA have slammed Diego Maradona for criticising American referee, Mark Geiger’s handling of England’s win against Colombia in their Second Round clash at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The Argentinian, who is being paid £10,000-a-game to work as an ambassador for the governing body at the World Cup, described the result on Tuesday in the round of 16 as a ‘monumental theft’.
It is the third controversy involving the Argentina great at the World Cup in Russia, which he has mostly attended as a VIP guest of FIFA.
Maradona previously apologised for making an offensive gesture toward South Korean fans, and was filmed aggressively raising his middle fingers after Argentina scored a late winning goal against Nigeria.
FIFA said Maradona’s insinuations were entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded.
‘At a time when FIFA is doing everything within its power to ensure principles of fair play, integrity and respect are at the forefront of this World Cup and how the organisation is now run, FIFA is extremely sorry to read such declarations from a player who has written the history of our game,’ the world football governing body said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Maradona has apologised to FIFA via social media. “I was overcome with the emotion of being a fan of Colombia the other day and I said a few things. I admit that a few of them were unacceptable,” he wrote on his Instagram account on Thursday.
“I apologise to FIFA and to its president. Even though I may frequently have differences of opinion over certain refereeing decisions, I have the utmost respect for the work that the referees and their institution do. It is certainly not easy.”
