THE SIDELINES : Maradona ‘Sorry,’ Won’t Recant

MILAN, Italy — Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona, threatened with disqualification from the World Cup following his allegations that the recent draw had been fixed, today was quoted as saying he’s ready to apologize to soccer officials.

“If I must go to FIFA and explain my claims, I’ll do it. If I must apologize for my public remarks, I’ll apologize. But I am not going to recant anything. I said what many others had written and said,” Maradona said in Cagliari, Sardinia, where Argentina and Italy played an exhibition match on Thursday. His remarks were carried on state radio as well as in Milan’s widely circulated daily Corriere della Sera.

Maradona, who will captain the Argentine team in the 1990 World Cup, alleged in published reports on Tuesday that the draw held in Rome on Dec. 9 had been fixed.

Corriere della Sera today defended Maradona.

“It has been long known that World Cup draws are skillfully predetermined but nobody ever protested. . . . Now that Maradona, ‘Mr. Disagreeable,’ said it openly it’s too easy to attack him,” Corriere della Sera wrote.