An Italian court has rejected an appeal by Diego Maradona and ordered the Argentine football great to pay about Euro 30 million ($A50 million) in back taxes, a defence lawyer said.
Maradona was ordered to pay the debt he incurred while playing for Napoli from 1985 to 1991. But he appealed, claiming tax collectors failed to notify the payment injunction in time, said lawyer Vincenzo Siniscalchi.
The court, however, ruled that at least one of the notifications was properly issued, and ordered Maradona to pay the sum, said Siniscalchi.
Maradona was hit by the tax claims in 2001 when he stepped off a plane at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci Airport.
He led Argentina to the World Cup title in Mexico in 1986, and Napoli to its only Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990. He was kicked out of the league in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine.
Maradona was ordered to pay the debt he incurred while playing for Napoli from 1985 to 1991. But he appealed, claiming tax collectors failed to notify the payment injunction in time, said lawyer Vincenzo Siniscalchi.
The court, however, ruled that at least one of the notifications was properly issued, and ordered Maradona to pay the sum, said Siniscalchi.
Maradona was hit by the tax claims in 2001 when he stepped off a plane at Rome's Leonardo Da Vinci Airport.
He led Argentina to the World Cup title in Mexico in 1986, and Napoli to its only Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990. He was kicked out of the league in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine.