Diego Maradona Re-admitted to Intensive Care After Complaining of Abdominal Pains

Diego Maradona is back in intensive care after complaining of abdominal pains in the early hours of this morning, just two days after he was discharged from a private clinic following treatment for acute hepatitis caused, according to his doctor, by an excess of alcohol, food and cigars.

Maradona's condition suddenly deteriorated last night, and he was rushed to hospital by ambulance at 5am after rousing medical staff. He was accompanied by his personal physician Alfredo Cahe, and taken to the Hospiral Madre Teresa de Calcuta in Ezeiza, about 40km from Buenos Aires. "Diego has been hospitalised but his life isn't in danger," Cahe said this morning. "He is in intensive care as a precaution."

During his brief spell out of hospital he had promised to be at Sunday's Buenos Aires "superclassico", the derby between his former side Boca Juniors and River Plate. "Nothing will stop me from supporting the boys," he said. "I'll go even if it's by ambulance."

The 47-year-old had initially been hospitalised on March 28 and was released with a warning to no longer indulge in drink, drugs and excessive eating. "I'm going to follow the instructions of my doctors to the letter," he said. "If I don't do it, the only one who will be hurt is me."