Taxman wants Maradona

2005-10-13 16:04

Rome - Italy's tax office has been trying to seize money Diego Maradona earned for taking part in a television celebrity dancing show to pay outstanding taxes from his Serie A playing days.

The retired soccer great must pay about $36.02m in back taxes due from when he played for Italian club Napoli from 1985-91.

The tax office took action after an Italian court last February ordered Maradona to pay his debt, rejecting the player's appeal that tax collectors had failed to notify him of a payment injunction in time.

Tax officials have so far failed to take any of the money Maradona has earned for his performances in the series "Ballando Con Le Stelle" (Dancing With The Stars) shown on state-controlled television network RAI.

RAI officials told Milan daily Corriere della Sera that Maradona had already been paid for his three performances in the series, which features professional dancers paired with sports and entertainment personalities.

Maradona, who has lost about 50kg following surgery and a diet, did not appear in last week's show, saying doctors had forbidden him, for health reasons, to take trans-Atlantic flights weekly.

It was not immediately clear if Maradona would appear again in the hit Saturday night show, which is due to continue for several weeks.

Maradona had been commuting between Italy and South America, where runs a successful talk show on an Argentine television network.

- AP