Maradona in Zurich for FIFA hearing

Argentina coach Diego Maradona arrived Sunday at the headquarters of world football’s governing body FIFA for a disciplinary hearing over his sexually-explicit rant after his team’s World Cup qualification.

The former star player was facing a possible fine and suspension from international matches after he rounded on critics during a press conference after Argentina qualified for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Maradona flew into the Swiss city from Madrid where Argentina lost 2-1 against Spain in a friendly late Saturday.

Wearing sunglasses and tracksuit, a demonstrably impassive looking Maradona kept silent as he was escorted through Zurich airport into a nearby hotel complex by an Argentine football official and bodyguards.

He later arrived in a convoy of limousines at FIFA headquarters about 50 minutes after the originally scheduled time for the hearing.

He was to face a disciplinary hearing here scheduled to start at 2.00 pm (1300 GMT) behind closed doors. FIFA have declined to give details although they said they would release a statement afterwards.

Maradona’s public outburst came after Argentina’s 1-0 win over Uruguay in October, which allowed the two-time world champions to squeeze narrowly into next year’s finals in South Africa after a lowly and tense qualifying round.

At the time, the 48-year-old, a sporting icon in Argentina after skippering the 1986 World Cup winning team, lashed out at journalists.

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has said Maradona may have flouted regulations which could result in a fine of up to 29,400 dollars and/or suspension.

“According to article 58.a anyone who harms the dignity of a person through acts or words can be punished,” he added.

Maradona later sought to make amends and admitted that if Argentina had failed to qualify he “would have taken myself off to Haiti.”