Spanish women’s footballer turns back on Maradona tribute

Referees, players of Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys wearing a special jersey with the colors of Argentina and a logo of Maradona applaud during a minute to pay tribute to football legend Diego Maradona who died on November 25 at the age 60, before the Copa Diego Maradona 2020 football match between Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys at La Bombonera stadium, in Buenos Aires, on November 29, 2020. – The Argentine football championship has been renamed after the death of football legend Diego Maradona. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli / POOL / AFP)

A female footballer from the Spanish third tier refused to pay respect to the late Argentina legend Diego Maradona, citing women’s rights and equality.

Viajes Interrias FF’s Paula Dapena sat down and turned her back to the stand as her teammates took part in a minute’s silence on Saturday for Maradona who died aged 60 earlier this week.

“Nothing was done a dew days ago for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,” she told Pontevedra Viva.

“Being a female player, firstly you have to be a person, and you have to have values which go above those he had.

“We know what he did and his spectacular footballing qualities,” she added after the 10-0 loss at top-flight Deportiva La Coruna.

On Sunday, prosecutors near Buenos Aires reported Maradona’s personal doctor was being investigated for involuntary manslaughter four days after the former Napoli playmaker suffered a fatal heart attack.

Police raided Leopoldo Luque’s surgery and home in search of possible evidence pointing to negligence, according to television images.

The probe was triggered by concerns raised by three of Maradona’s daughters Dalma, Gianinna and Jana over the treatment he received for his heart condition at his home in Tigre, north of Buenos Aires, judicial sources said.