Maradona in intensive care

[reverse_swing]

Former Argentine World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona is in a critical condition, suffering high blood pressure and breathing failure.


Maradona is almost unrecognisable from his playing days

The 43-year-old Maradona was admitted to a private clinic just hours after seeing former side Boca Juniors play.

Maradona, who has been battling drug addiction for years, has been sedated and attached to a respirator.

The medical report states his prognosis is "moderately favourable" but the forecast is as yet uncertain.

Argentine TV channel Todo Noticias claimed Maradona had fallen ill after taking a drug overdose.



Fans have been gathering outside the private clinic

But Maradona's family doctor Alfredo Cahe refused to comment on those reports.

Family, friends and well-wishers flooded to the Suizo-Argentina clinic as news of Maradona's condition spread.

In 2000, in Uruguay, Maradona suffered a severe heart crisis due to a cocaine overdose.

He then began a long recovery treatment in Cuba, but since an overweight Maradona returned to Argentina, speculation and concern has grown over his health.

In his 20-year career, Maradona won Italian and Argentine league titles and led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986 and second place in 1990.

In 2000, Maradona tied with Pele for the accolade of Fifa's best ever player.

-Source

[abhs]

Similar report from AFP posted in bangladeshinfo.com

Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona gestures to fans while watching a Copa Libertadores match between Boca Juniors and Deportivo Cali at La Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires March 24, 2004.


Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, who has a history of drug abuse, was in intensive care in a local hospital early on Monday after suffering acute heart failure.

Dozens of his fans held a vigil in front of The Swiss-Argentine clinic, praying for their star.

The hospital said in a statement that the 43-year-old former captain of the Argentine national team, who has a history of drug abuse, was unable to breathe by himself.

His doctor, Alfredo Cahe, said Maradona's reaction over the next 24-48 hours would be crucial to his recovery chances.

Buenos Aires swirled with rumours about the cause of the illness, with the TN television channel saying Maradona had a drug overdose.

Maradona, who is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, has been battling drug addiction for years. He was suspended while playing in the Italian championship in the 1990s after testing positive for cocaine.

The Buenos Aires clinic said Maradona was admitted after suffering "congestive heart failure" caused by high blood pressure.

It said Maradona "is receiving medication to strengthen the heart; and as he developed acute respiratory failure he was put on a ventilator and therefore is heavily sedated."

"The reaction to the medication has been favourable, and he is stabilised." But the statement said doctors gave only a "reserved" assessment of his condition.

Cahe said outside the clinic "we will have to wait 24-to-48 hours to know the evolution." Cahe refused to answer questions about whether Maradona had had a drug overdose.

Cahe accompanied Maradona when he was taken to the clinic.

The TN report quoted members of Maradona's "intimate circle" as saying the former footballer was rushed to hospital following an overdose.

Maradona's father, Diego, his ex-wife, Claudia Villafane, and their two children, Dalma and Gianina, had been at the hospital.

Carlos Bilardo, who was coach of the Argentine national football team when it won the 1986 Wold Cup in Mexico, visited the hospital in the evening but declined to make any statement.

And this heightened speculation about the condition of the former skipper of Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning team.

"He wanted to have a few health check-ups," said one of the former footballer's close relatives as rumours mounted that Maradona was in intensive care.

The clinic released the statement as it became the subject of international attention.

Maradona's recent return to Argentina from Cuba on March 22 had prompted concern and speculation about his health because of the excess weight he has put on.

Despite concerns about his health, he was seen playing football on March 23 with students and personnel of La Plata university, a game in which he scored a goal from a penalty kick.

Maradona had earlier watched his former club Boca Juniors play league rivals Nuevo Chicago but left during the second half and was later admitted to the clinic.

Since January 2000, Maradona has spent a lot of time in Cuba where he has already made attempts to kick his alleged drug habit.

Maradona played 91 matches for Argentina and scored 34 goals, including his infamous "hand of God" goal against England when he fisted the ball into the net. His career began in 1977 and ended in 1994.

He has played for a host of famous clubs including Boca Juniors, Newells Old Boys and Napoli in Italy's Serie A. Maradona also played for Barcelona and Sevilla in Spain.

--AFP

[rassel]

What else do you expect from a drug addict? I think his time is up!




[Edited on 8-5-2004 by rassel]

[Edited on 8-5-2004 by rassel]

[Rubu]

prothom alo surprises me. it started this article as "the best footballer of last century...".
i've an objection here. have we forgotten

"edson eratos do nasimento" (sp) or shortly known as pelay? i think protom alo sometimes gets too emotional and says craps.

[reverse_swing]

Maradona was voted Best Football Player of the Century by a global Internet poll. And in 2000 FIFA decided to give the same award to both Maradona & Pelé as the best footballers of all time.

[Edited on 20-4-2004 by rezwan1977]

[AsifTheManRahman]

It's sad...just look at what drugs can do to a person...

and AgentSmith...i dont wanna sound rude or anything but i believe the name's Pele...

[Sami]

Originally posted by AgentSmith
prothom alo surprises me. it started this article as "the best footballer of last century...".
i've an objection here. have we forgotten

"edson eratos do nasimento" (sp) or shortly known as pelay? i think protom alo sometimes gets too emotional and says craps.

he is the best football player of the last century... drug addict or not...

[rassel]

Forget about Maradona! He is getting what he deserves! The last time I look at his physical appearance, he looks like an obese man with 300 pounds or so. I don’t think he hardly exercise, but he really good at what he does best, smoking!

[Rubu]

Originally posted by AsifTheManRahman
It's sad...just look at what drugs can do to a person...

and AgentSmith...i dont wanna sound rude or anything but i believe the name's Pele...

see my signature. still wanna talk about it?

[rassel]

see my signature. still wanna talk about it? [/quote]

Why don't you try to correct your problem? So in that way, nobody won’t poke fun of your spelling.

[barerra]

Maradona for me is the greatest footballer of all time, way better than Pele, Diego is more naturally gifted . Maradona is footballs Muhammad Ali

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

jaihok,
marattok bhabe kintu oshushto hoye porechilen maradona. kritrim shash proshhash kintu dawa hoi take. tobe akhon mone hoi tini unnoti dike royechen. maradone kintu joi kore niyechilen oshongkho manusher hirdoy. jar karone tini jokhon bunues aires ar hospital a obosthan korchilen tokhon kintu shoto shoto manush mombati jailye rater por rat jege tar jonno prarthona kore giyechilen. bishher itihasher onnotomo kintu akjon footballer chilen kintu maradona. jara football khela dekhen tara kintu ak namai maradonake chinen. tobe durbhagger bishoy hochhe ai birat footbaler ar jibon japon kintu kichuta usringkhol jar karone tar kintu ai obostha hoi. tobe asha korbo maradona abar shushtho hoye mathe fire ashben. dannabad.

[rassel]

(Adds hospital statement paragraph 3)

By Juan Bustamante

BUENOS AIRES, April 29 (Reuters) - Diego Maradona left hospital on Thursday to stay with friends, eluding media who had kept a vigil since the Argentine soccer great was rushed to intensive care with lung and heart trouble 12 days ago.

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Maradona's covert departure sparked a manhunt by the waiting press pack, which has given blanket coverage to the national hero since he was taken ill with a swollen heart on April 18 after watching his beloved Boca Juniors play.

"Given (his improved health), various treatments have been indicated, and it is up to the patient and his personal doctor .... to decide how they go about this," the Suizo-Argentina clinic said.

The 43-year-old, regarded as one of the greatest players in soccer history, moved to a friend's house on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. He has been living in Cuba for much of the past four years being treated for cocaine addiction.

Reuters television pictures and photographs showed an overweight Maradona, with bushy black hair and a red and black jacket, mingling with friends by a golf cart outside the large country house only hours after he left the hospital.

He stretched his arms in the air before walking, unaided and with a relaxed swagger, into the house.

Maradona has been back on his feet since Wednesday, walking around his hospital room and watched Argentina play Morocco in a friendly international.

That was a vast improvement from a few days previously when he had been in a critical condition, heavily sedated and on an artificial respirator.

Hundreds of fans, journalists and tourists had gathered day and night by the hospital, leaving cards and pictures of their hero. Others prayed with Rosary beads.

After his departure on Thursday, a large banner was unfurled by some fans with the words 'God Exists' emblazoned upon it.

Rising from a Buenos Aires slum to lead Argentina to World Cup victory, Maradona's is the ultimate rags-to-riches story and in Argentina he has gained the status of the likes of Che Guevara -- whose image is tattooed on his arm -- and Eva Peron.

At the peak of his form, he led Argentina to a 3-2 triumph over West Germany in the 1986 World Cup final but in 1991 he failed a dope test for cocaine and was banned for 15 months.

He played in his fourth World Cup in the United States in 1994 but tested positive for a cocktail of drugs the day before he was due to make a record 22nd appearance.


(Reuters)

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

ji bhai,
maradona kintu akhon onekta shushtho. besh koekdin intensive care a thakar por kintu jeno abar jibon fire pelen maradona. tini kintu ghore fire pelen. ebong bhoktoder kache kintu tini kritoggo take ato bhalobashar jonno. dannabad.

[rassel]

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Diego Maradona's family have been trying hard to find a drug rehabilitation centre which will accept the football legend who has come close to death with heart and lung problems.

Clarin newspaper reported his ex-wife Claudi Villafane burst into tears while being unable to tell him five Argentine clinics had refused to take him, fearing resistance from Maradona and for the privacy of other patients.

"Claudia, please tell me what's happening," Maradona asked of Villafane in one of his rare moments of lucidity, according to medical sources quoted by Clarin.

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Maradona, 43, who was admitted to the Suizo-Argentina clinic on Wednesday having spent 12 days in the same hospital last month, is under sedation in intensive care.

The 1986 World Cup-winning captain has been suffering cocaine addiction for years with several doctors claiming that is the cause of his health problems.

Maradona will not hear of going to an Argentine drug rehabilitation centre, preferring to returning to Cuba where it is said he has been fighting his addiction since 2000.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro has put a plane at Maradona's disposal should he want to return to the island, according to sources close to the player.

"We have nowhere to take him," Maradona's personal doctor Alfredo Cahe said on television. "Other clinics in the country don't want him and to take him abroad (apart from Cuba) the patient's consent is needed."

Cahe denied he had been distanced from Maradona at the request of hospital officials.

A medical source said if he refused to go to a medical centre in Argentina, Maradona would not be able to defeat his drugs habit.

Maradona still wants to go back to the luxurious residence at General Rodriguez, 50km to the north west of Buenos Aires, where immediately after leaving hospital he spent his time playing golf, kicking a football and walking outdoors without a shirt on in cold, autumnal weather, bringing about his re-admission.

Maradona's parents have made contact with a clinic in Villa Paranacito in the centre of the country who might take him but its director Juan Ferreyra told Radio Diez on Saturday nothing had been decided.

Argentine media said Maradona's parents had signed a document putting their son under their jurisdiction should he refuse to go for treatment.

Claudio Belocopit, the director of the Swiss-Argentine clinic where Maradona is currently, said on Friday she expected clarification of his fate in the next 48 hours.

[Edited on 8-5-2004 by rassel]

[satan_the_king]

Drugs are BAaaad .....Mkay....you should not do drugs.....Theres a time and place for everything and thats called college