Fifa World Cup: angry Diego Maradona offers US$10,000 reward over fake ‘death’ report
Argentina legend’s lawyer hopes to track down source of WhatsApp voice messages which claimed Maradona had died of cardiac arrest after Nigeria match
Diego Maradona has offered a US$10,000 reward to identify the source of reports he had died after Argentina’s World Cup match against Nigeria, his lawyer said.
The reports, circulated via WhatsApp voice messages from a man with an Argentine accent, said the 57-year-old star had been taken to hospital and had died of cardiac arrest.
“I gave instructions to make public the decision to offer a reward of 300,000 pesos [around US$10,000] to anyone who can provide true and accurate information about the author of the audios,” lawyer Matias Morla told Argentina’s Clarin daily from Russia.
The Argentine star took ill at the end of the match and had to be helped from his seat.
But he denied rumours of ill health the day after, telling reporters: “I’m perfect. I’ve never been better.”
Morla said Maradona had suffered “a spike” in blood pressure.