Goalkeeper held

Police arrested Rene Higuita, Colombia's eccentric international goalkeeper, on charges of kidnapping and drug trafficking, Reuter reports from Medellin. The prosecutor's office said Higuita, who plays for the Medellin team Atletico Nacional, was accused of acting as an intermediary in the freeing of a kidnapped woman, for which he received 50m pesos ( pounds 40,000).

Higuita has admitted knowing the Medellin cartel boss, Pablo Escobar, and security sources allege that he has received millions from the drug boss in return for his support. He visited him in jail and later praised the help he said Escobar had offererd to young players from the Medellin slums.