Maradona Doctor Is Arrested
Diego Armando Maradona’s former doctor, Hernando Mauricio Vergara, was arrested trying to board a flight in Cali, Colombia, Wednesday after authorities discovered four pounds of cocaine in his luggage.
According to police, the drug was found in Vergara’s computer bag and camera case, but the doctor, who was detained before being able to board a flight bound for Buenos Aires via Panama, said he did not know how the cocaine had gotten there.
Vergara gained international attention as the doctor who treated Maradona, the former Argentine star whose career ended in ruins after he twice received lengthy worldwide suspensions from FIFA when he tested positive for drugs, including cocaine.
Stewart to MLS?
Earnie Stewart, a three-time World Cup player for the United States and one of the national team’s leaders in games played and goals scored, will be free to join a Major League Soccer team in the spring after being given the option to leave his Dutch club, NAC Breda, without his new club having to pay a transfer fee.
Stewart, 33, has spent 14 years in the Dutch league but wants to end his career in the U.S. and has said he would like to play in Los Angeles. Salary cap issues might prevent the Galaxy from signing him, however.
Champions League
Only four of the European Champions League’s 16 teams remained unbeaten and untied Wednesday as the league played its final five games before taking a two-month winter break.
The five matches -- whose combined attendance came to almost a quarter of a million -- left only Barcelona, Manchester United, AC Milan and Inter Milan with perfect records.
Goals by Dani, Patrick Kluivert and Thiago Motta earned Barcelona a 3-1 home victory over Newcastle United. The Catalan club’s win was its 10th in a row, equaling the Champions League record set by AC Milan in the 1992-93 season.
Manchester United shut out Deportivo La Coruna, 2-0, in front of 67,014 at Old Trafford. AC Milan also stayed perfect with a 1-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in Germany, where Filippo Inzaghi scored.
Defending champion Real Madrid struggled to a 2-2 tie with visiting Lokomotiv Moscow. Two goals by Raul saved the Spanish team from defeat, but Real has not won in its last six Champions League matches.
Juventus had the easiest victory, routing FC Basel, 4-0, in Turin behind goals by David Trezeguet, Paolo Montero, Alessio Tacchinardi and Alessandro Del Piero.
Champions League play resumes Feb. 18.
A Long Haul
South America’s soccer confederation voted to retain its marathon World Cup qualifying process, in which each of the continent’s 10 countries play the other nine home and away over a three-year span. As a result, qualifying for the Germany 2006 tournament will begin in August.
Mexican Semifinals
Toluca took advantage of several errors by nervous Santos Laguna goalkeeper Adrian Martinez Wednesday and rolled to 5-3 victory in the first game of the two-game Mexican championship playoff semifinal series at Estadio Corona in Torreon.
Paraguayan striker Jose Cardozo scored twice for the Red Devils, who also got goals from Vicente Sanchez, Maximiliano Cuberas and Antonio Naelson Zinha.
Meanwhile, the Mexican soccer federation earlier had suspended Santos Laguna Coach Luis Fernando Tena for two games, making it impossible for him to lead his team in the series.
Tena was banned after running onto the Azteca Stadium field to protest a refereeing decision during Sunday’s quarterfinal victory over defending champion Club America.
