THE SIDELINES : FIFA Won’t Punish Soccer Star

Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona will not be punished by the International Soccer Federation for his allegations that last month’s World Cup draw was fixed.

Guido Tognoni, a spokesman for the federation known as FIFA, said the $7,700 fine imposed by the Italian soccer league was sufficient and, as far as his organization is concerned, the matter is closed.

The Italian league’s disciplinary commission Friday announced the fine against the captain of Argentina’s national team and the Naples team, which leads the Italian league. The tribunal, which had jurisdiction because Maradona plays for an Italian team, said he had ridiculed the Italian organizers of the World Cup by claiming the pairings of the six groups had been decided prior to the official draw in Rome on Dec. 9.

FIFA had originally threatened to ban Maradona from the World Cup finals if he repeated the allegations.