[D-Kin]

Former Napoli star Diego Maradona has been admitted to hospital in Buenos Aires suffering from an ‘imbalance’.

The Argentine legend was admitted to the Sanatorio Guemes hospital after falling ill on Thursday and is now expected to undergo further exams to assess his condition.

“Patient Diego Armando Maradona has entered the hospital to undergo complimentary studies due to a general sickness he suffered today,” read an official statement.

“The sickness is not related to drug addiction,” added the statement.

Maradona’s personal physician Alfredo Cahe, who is in attendance along with the footballer’s daughters Dalma and Giannina, confirmed that the former player’s life is not in danger.

The San Paolo hero, who led Argentina to glory in the 1986 World Cup, was banned for 15 months in 1991 after failing a drugs test and tested positive again at the 1994 World Cup, before retiring from football in 1997.

Maradona, who has battled with cocaine addiction in the past, was hospitalised in 2000 with a severe heart problem and four years later he spent 10 days in intensive care with heart and breathing problems.

His life however seemed to get back on track in 2005, when he had a stomach-stapling operation that allowed him to lose nearly 30kg in weight.

But the Argentine media reported lately that he had started gaining weight again and was considering taking a slimming cure in Switzerland.

channel4.com - Football Italia