Maradona is briefly detained at airport
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-23 08:58

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Soccer great Diego Maradona was detained briefly by airport police after he argued with them Thursday following his late arrival for a flight.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona attends a news conference shortly after his arrival in Buenos Aires December 22, 2005. [Reuters]

Maradona, held for showing contempt to authorities, was trying to return to his native Argentina after playing Wednesday in a charity match. He was released after being interrogated and would return to Argentina later in the day.

Showing contempt to authorities is punishable in Brazil by as much as two years in prison. Maradona was not immediately charged, federal police spokesman Carlos de Melo said.

Maradona argued with airport workers and then with authorities in a VIP room, upset that the flight wasn't held for him. A door at the VIP room was broken in the incident, and Maradona offered to pay for the damage, authorities said.

They said Maradona would be tested to see if he was under the influence of alcohol. But it wasn't immediately confirmed whether the test was conducted before he was released.

The 45-year-old Maradona has received treatment for drug addiction in recent years.

Maradona led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title and to the 1990 final. In 2000, FIFA chose Maradona and Pele as the greatest players in history.

In 1991, Maradona failed a drug test and was banned for 15 months. He failed another test at the World Cup finals in 1994, three years before his retirement.