Maradona released from hospital

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona was released from the hospital at around midnight on Tuesday after a nearly two-week stay for alcohol abuse treatment, a source at the Guemes clinic said.

"He was released," a source at the Buenos Aires hospital where Maradona was treated said on condition of anonymity.

"There was a meeting between his family members and the doctors and they decided to release him."

Maradona had suffered from alcohol-induced hepatitis and was sedated for days to help ease his withdrawal.

His personal doctor, Alfredo Cahe, had said earlier on Tuesday that Maradona was anxious to leave the hospital and could be released over the weekend.

Known as one of the game's greatest players, Maradona, 46, has fought cocaine addiction and obesity since retiring 10 years ago.

In 2004, Maradona was hospitalized with severe heart and respiratory problems linked to cocaine use.

He later underwent drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 helped him lose weight.

That same year, he hosted a TV talk show in Argentina after declaring himself fully recovered.

Soccer's governing body, FIFA, named Maradona, the former captain who led Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986, and Brazil's Pele the two greatest players of the 20th century.