French Court Stops Sale of Maradona's 1986 Ballon d'Or
The French Justice system has taken a decisive step by prohibiting the sale of the 1986 World Cup Ballon d'Or, won by legendary footballer Diego Armando Maradona. The Court of Appeal of Versailles ordered the trophy's seizure until a dispute over its ownership is resolved. The Parisian auction house Aguttes, which planned to auction the Ballon d'Or on June 6, suspended the sale indefinitely.
Maradona's heirs allege that the Ballon d'Or, which resurfaced in 2016 after being missing for nearly three decades, was stolen from a bank safe in Naples in 1989. 'We are satisfied with this decision that responds to our demands and reassures my clients,' stated Gilles Moreu, the lawyer representing the five Maradona heirs: Diego Jr., Dalma, Gianinna, Jana, and Dieguito Fernando Maradona.
Lengthy Legal Battle Expected
The legal journey to decide ownership of the Ballon d'Or appears to be long and complex. There are two procedures: one through criminal law and the other through civil law. Abdelhamid B. was considered the legal owner of the trophy in France, having purchased it in good faith during a second-rate auction in Paris for 1.20 euros. The item was estimated by Aguttes to be worth over 10 million euros.
The unusual measure of seizing the Ballon d'Or stems from the Maradona family's fear that the valuable object might disappear again. Presently, the trophy is in the possession of the Aguttes auction house, but will soon be transferred to a Justice officer who will hold onto it until the ownership dispute is conclusively settled.
- Meanwhile, a separate but related legal battle continues in Argentina. The Oral Criminal Court No. 3 of San Isidro in Buenos Aires has postponed the trial for Diego Maradona's death, rescheduling it for October 1, 2024. The judges cited a 'plurality of issues' and incomplete 'technical proposals' as reasons for the suspension.
- Dalma and Gianina Maradona, two of Diego's daughters, requested the rescheduling to avoid potential legal nullifications. The case involves eight medical staff members accused of simple homicide due to eventual intent, with penalties ranging from 8 to 25 years in prison. The defendants include Maradona's neurosurgeon, Leopoldo Luque, and psychiatrist, Agustina Cosachov, both of whom deny the charges.
- The court also rejected the family's request to transfer Maradona's remains from the private Jardín de Bella Vista cemetery in Buenos Aires to Puerto Madero for public access. The family's ongoing legal battles underscore the complexity and multi-faceted nature of posthumous disputes involving high-profile personalities like Maradona.
