Money blocks Diego's India visit

NEW DELHI: India's wait for arguably world's greatest soccer sorcerer just got longer. Argentina's Diego Armando Maradona, who was expected to visit India with AC Milan's junior team later this month as a part of the four year old 'Festa Italiana', an Indo-Italian chamber of commerce initiative to showcase Italian culture in this country, has backed out.
This was confirmed by the secretary general of the Indo-Italian chamber of commerce, Dr.Andrea Bonardi. Speaking to TOI over the phone from his Mumbai office on Tuesday, he said, "We had arrived at a juncture where Maradona's stay in India had been arranged... somehow, the money involved in bringing him here seemed colossal and we had to let go of that marvellous opportunity."
According to Bonardi, suites had been booked in the Oberoi's in Mumbai and ITC Sonar Bangla in Kolkata for Maradona. But the famed No.10 decided to give India the slip.
There were back-up plans too, which again stayed only on paper. The Italian chamber was in contact with Paolo Berlusconi, VP of AC Milan and brother of the Italian PM, Silvio Berlusconi, to rope in top stars to India. They zeroed in on big names like Cesare Maldini, Roberto Baggio, Paolo Rossi and Zvonimir Boban. However, it proved to be a futile exercise.
While some backed out because of their tight playing schedule or other professional commitment, some others asked for too much money and some cited personal reasons. AC Milan star and Croatian skipper, Boban met with a serious car accident some days ago and was ruled out. The organisers have contacted Brazilian star Leonardo now and are hoping he will agree.