DIEGO MARADONA "sensationally kicked a steward and smacked a phone out of a journalist's hand after a charity match." The violent outburst occurred after he scored the winning penalty in the "Match for Peace" in Bogotá, Colombia. Maradona was "swamped by the press after full time at the Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, but was in no mood to talk, with footage showing him kicking out at a steward" (FOX SPORTS, 4/12). ... Ligue 1 side Bastia President PIERRE-MARIE GERONIMI has called for French League (LFP) President FREDERIC THIRIEZ to "step down after he did not come down to the pitch to shake the players' hands" before Saturday's League Cup final. Geronimi: "If you want to be president of a League with 41 clubs instead of 42, you must go. What happened last night is unacceptable. Sporting (Bastia) demands that he goes" (REUTERS, 4/12). ... Brazilian footballer OLIVER MINATEL of North American Soccer League side Ottawa Fury "suffered an attempted strangling" on Saturday during a flight from Toronto to Atlanta. The aggressor "attempted to murder Minatel for feeling threatened" by Minatel's teammates. Minatel: "With a cord, or something else he had, he jumped on me, that's what happened. I forced the cord down and other people came to help" (BAHIA NOTÍCIAS, 4/11).
