French court stops the sale of Maradonas World Cup Golden Ball trophy amid ownership dispute

Published on 2024-06-18 05:19:38From：Football World+Entering

Diego Maradona’s heirs won an appeal ruling to stop the auction of a trophy the late soccer great was awarded after the 1986 World Cup when a French court ordered it placed in judicial possession on Wednesday.

The appeal court in Versailles overturned a judicial decision last month that allowed the trophy’s auction to go ahead as planned despite the opposition from Maradona’s heirs.

The tribunal argued there was a genuine dispute as to the ownership of the World Cup Golden Ball that Maradona received for being the best player of the 1986 tournament. Pending a decision on the merits of the case, it ordered its sequestration to avoid any risk of further disappearance of the trophy, which resurfaced after being missing for decades.

Gilles Moreu, a lawyer for the heirs, told The Associated Press he will now lodge a legal action to have a court look at the merits of the case and decide who owns the trophy.

“We are satisfied with this decision, which complies with our requests and reassures my clients,” he said.

French judicial officials last month opened an investigation after they received a complaint related to the resale of allegedly stolen goods.

RELATED COVERAGE

Georgia's head coach Willy Sagnol, center, speaks to the team during training session of Georgia's national soccer team in Velbert, Germany, Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Fabian Strauch/dpa via AP)

Georgia’s players trying to snap out of their dream ahead of historic first match at Euro 2024

FILE - Dancers perform during the opening ceremony ahead of the Group A match between Germany and Scotland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Munich, Germany, Friday, June 14, 2024. A German YouTuber says he made it onto the field during the European Championship opening ceremony while disguised in a mascot costume. Marvin Wildhage has published a video appearing to show how he entered the stadium in a fake costume and danced on the corner of the field during the ceremony before being led away by a UEFA staff member. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP, File)

YouTube prankster says he was on the field at Euro 2024 opening ceremony dressed as mascot

FILE - Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with the trophy after beating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final soccer match at Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, July 10, 2021. Messi and Argentina will try to win their third straight major title when they defend their Copa America championship while Brazil hopes 17-year-old Endrick will combine with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo for success. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File)

Lionel Messi and Argentina will try for a 3rd straight major title in Copa America

The Golden Ball disappeared in uncertain circumstances. Maradona’s heirs say the trophy was stolen and claimed the current owner wasn’t entitled to sell it. The auction house Aguttes said the trophy reappeared in 2016 among other lots that were acquired from a private collection at auction in Paris.

The current owner and Aguttes claimed that when he bought the trophy years ago he was not aware it had been stolen.

Maradona received the award in 1986 at a ceremony in Paris. It subsequently disappeared, giving rise to rumors. One is that Maradona stored it in a safe in a Naples bank that was robbed by local gangsters in 1989 when he played in the Italian league. Maradona’s heirs believe it was stolen from the bank.

Maradona, who died in 2020 at age 60, captained Argentina in its 3-2 win over West Germany in the 1986 final in Mexico City.

Aguttes decided last week to postpone the sale that was planned on Thursday, citing a “litigious climate” and “uncertainties (which) do not allow connoisseurs to approach this acquisition calmly.”