Football / World Cup USA '94: Maradona 'herb diet' is blamed

THE Argentine Football Association president, Julio Grondona, has claimed that Diego Maradona's diet was to blame for his expulsion from the World Cup. Grondona said the ephedrine-related drugs were neither stimulants nor taken for a cold.

'He had been following a vegetarian diet which contained herbs and substances prohibited by Fifa (world football's governing body),' he said. 'It was the sort of diet people follow to get into peak fitness.'

Johan Cruyff, the Barcelona coach who was due to take charge of the Netherlands before falling out with the Dutch football federation, has called the World Cup 'boring'. He accused the winning semi-finalists, Italy, of 'negative' tactics and Bulgaria of 'chaotic' football.

Joel Quiniou, of France, and Jose Torres Cadena, of Colombia, will referee tomorrow's World Cup semi-finals, it was announced yesterday. Quiniou will referee Italy against Bulgaria at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. Torres will be in charge when Brazil meet Sweden at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. The referees for Sunday's final and the third-place play-off on Saturday will be announced after the semi-finals.