Football

Diego Maradona has agreed to stay with Boca Juniors, caving in on his threat to quit if he could not get his own way, club officials said yesterday. ''Diego will see out his contract (until December 1996). We'll have a peaceful Christmas after all, just as I predicted,'' Mauricio Macri, the club president said. Maradona, 35, said last week he was quitting Boca, barely two months after making a comeback after completing a 15- month worldwide ban for drug abuse. The former Argentina captain said he refused to play with the new coach, Carlos Bilardo, under whose direction Maradona inspired Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986.

The biggest-ever competition for schools in England and Wales, "The New Europe: A Competition for Schools", has been set up by The Football Association and the National Union of Teachers to celebrate next summer's European Championship finals in England. The aim is to help youngsters from the 48 countries who took part in the qualifying process for Euro 96 develop their interest in the game and create more positive attitudes towards people from Europe.