Buenos Aires

Argentina’s 16-0 win over Ireland at Velez Sarsfield completed a two-Test rugby sweep and its biggest winning margin over the Europeans on Saturday. Flyhalf Federico Todeschini notched three out of four penalty kicks and converted the 79th-minute try by inside centre Manuel Contepomi.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter knew that his decision not to allow international games above altitude of 2 500m would have a serious effect on South American football. ”I know that this will not be well taken in South America,” he said on Sunday, even as he announced the plan in Zurich.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona returned to the hospital with abdominal pain on Friday, 48 hours after being released from two weeks of treatment for alcoholic hepatitis, his doctor said. Maradona (46) was not in danger but may have a recurrence of hepatitis, Dr Alfredo Cahe told radio and television.

Diego Maradona is expected to remain hospitalised for more than a week while doctors treat health problems ascribed to excess alcohol consumption, overeating and smoking. Routine tests detected some ”alterations” affecting Maradona’s liver, his personal physician Alfredo Cahe said on Saturday.

Argentine soccer hero Diego Maradona was taken by ambulance to a Buenos Aires clinic late on Wednesday after suffering an unspecified ”imbalance” in his health, the clinic said in a statement. Maradona (47) was taken to the Guemes Health Clinic in the Argentine capital and was followed few minutes later by his two daughters, Dalma and Giannina.