Maradona Golden Ball Auction Delayed Amid Probe

The auction of a trophy awarded to the late Diego Maradona that was planned for this week has been postponed, French auction house Aguttes said on Sunday, amid a judicial investigation looking into the possible resale of stolen goods.

Maradona’s heirs this week failed to stop the auction of the Golden Ball trophy he received for being the best player at the 1986 World Cup by starting an urgent judicial motion. A French court ruled the auction could go ahead but the lawyer for Maradona’s heirs lodged an appeal.

“Maradona has always aroused passions, and this continues despite the recent court ruling on Thursday, which we welcome and which dismissed the heirs’ request for a ban on the sale,” Maximilien Aguttes said in a statement.

“Our mission is to organise the auction in the best possible conditions, both for our seller and for the buyers. This litigious climate and these uncertainties do not allow connoisseurs to approach this acquisition calmly, and our role as a trusted third party can no longer be properly fulfilled.”

A new date for the auction has yet to be set.